


Welcome to the Urban Jungle

by Helthehatter



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Gifts, I'll write anything that is Zootopia on this, Requests, Zootopia - Freeform, and maybe other, enjoy, my drabble series i'm pulling from ff.net, one day, whatever suits my fancy, wildehopps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2018-08-27 14:05:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 51,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8404516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helthehatter/pseuds/Helthehatter
Summary: Home of all my Zootopia drabbles. Enjoy!





	1. Rum on the Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A gift for lepouletfou
> 
> Nothing like drunken heart-felt confessions.

“Are you drunk?”

“Well, hello to you _too_ , Cottontail,” the fox slurred sarcastically, stepping around her and inviting himself into her apartment.

Judy closed the door behind her, nose wrinkling after catching the scent of alcohol that wafted from the fox. “Were you hanging out with Finnick?” The smaller fox got Nick drunk more often than not.

“Yeah,” Nick said distractedly, looking around her apartment as if he had never been there. He then turned abruptly to her, green eyes hazy: “I heard you went on a date.”

Judy winced, “I did.” And it was something she wanted to forget as quickly as possible.

“Huh,” Nick said flatly. “How was he?”

Judy curled her lip, “Nick, I-”

“Never mind,” Nick cut her off, “I don’t wanna hear.”

He flopped onto her bed and Judy resisted a giggle, he looked so silly lying on his belly on her too small bed. She managed to crawl onto the edge of the mattress to sit beside him, glad her neighbors were off on some trip. They would have a field day over this.

“What was his name?” Nick mumbled into the blanket.

“Jason,” she answered, “He-”

“What does he do for a living?”

Judy’s brow furrowed, “I actually don’t know…”

Nick glanced up at her, his expression unreadable, “Why don’t you?”

Judy gave him a weird look then decided to drop the subject, “You want some tea? You need it.”

“I do not,” he grumbled, sounding like a spoiled child. But when Judy offered him the steaming drink he sat up and accepted it.

He took a sip, “This tastes gross.” He took another sip.

They drank their tea in silence and Judy had started to believe talk of her awful date was finished. She was wrong.

“What _do_ you know about him?” Nick asked, “Jason the Date.”

“Nothing of importance,” she replied shortly.

But for some reason Nick glared at her, “Then what did you do for your date?”

“He kept grabbing my tail and flirting with me,” Judy replied grumpily and Nick flinched, his eyes in his half empty mug.

“Carrots, Fluff, Cottontail,” Nick began. “I know I’m not the boss of you but you shouldn’t let him touch you on your first date.”

Judy opened her mouth to tell him she _didn’t_ , that the jerk had very quickly overstepped his boundaries but Nick talked over her: “You need to get to know each other; I want to know more about this guy.”

Judy’s brow furrowed, “ _Why_?”

“Because if you’re going to leave me for some buck then it needs to be with a guy who deserves you!”

Judy blinked, stunned, “What?”

Nick stood up on his unsteady legs, walking to place his mug on the desk. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“Nick, you’re not making any sense,” Judy stood up, letting her cup join Nick’s. To her panic the fox was heading for the door.

“I finish work and Del Gato tells me you got a date and I sit there and think, oh he’s going to love her and then she falls in love with him right back. I decide to tell Finn and he said you’d go and start a warren with him and then…” His paw on the doorknob he halted and leaned his head against the door. “And then I’d be alone again. I thought I could be happy for you but I can’t-I hate it!” He turned to fix her with a blurry-eyed glare, “I’m mad at you!”

He moved to open the door but Judy jumped to his side and grabbed his arm, pulling him into the middle of the apartment.

“You can’t leave, you’re drunk,” Judy said sternly, wrapping her head around Nick’s words and wondering if she should take him seriously when she could practically taste the rum on his breath.

Nick sniffed but didn’t try to leave, instead lying down on her bed, his snout to the ceiling.

Judy put her knees on the floor, resting her paws on the edge of the bed while Nick refused to look at her.

“Nick,” she spoke, “Jason was awful, you don’t have to worry about me falling in love with him.”

The fox looked at her then, his face brightened with hope again before his expression became withdrawn and he turned around, his back to her.

“You’ll fall in love with someone,” he pointed out.

Judy’s eyes slowly roved across Nick’s body before coming back to rest on the back of his head, “Someday…”

”And then you’ll forget all about me,” he breathed miserably.

Judy’s eyes widened in dismay, “How can you say that?”

“That’s what happens,” Nick’s voice wobbled and Judy’s heart clenched. “And then I’ll be left alone.”

“Nick,” she crawled up onto the bed, resting her chin on his cheek. “I’d never leave you alone.”

”You say that now,” he mumbled, her chin moving with his jaw. “But then you’ll meet a buck who won’t want you to hang out with a male fox all the time.”

“I don’t know who’d say that but it won’t be my future husband,” Judy said heatedly. “That guy will love you almost as much as I do.”

Nick cringed and he buried his face into the pillow, “I’m sorry, Carrots.”

“It’s okay,” she sat up and stroked his neck. “I know it hasn’t been easy for you, and you drank too much, but don’t worry. You’re my best friend and I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled again.

“For what?”

“I’m sorry for being in love with you.”

Judy’s ears fell and she stared at him in disbelief, noticing how he was shivering with emotion.

He wasn’t lying.

Judy smiled softly and laid down, pressed against his back and her arms wrapped around his waist. She smiled against his spine that had gone ramrod still.

“You’re in luck,” she breathed, though she believed she spoke too quietly for him to hear. But eventually she felt the fox’s breathing even out and she knew he had fallen asleep. She tightened her arms around him and closed her eyes.

.

The next morning she felt Nick shift and she was awake instantly, seeing neither had budged during the night. Nick cursed under his breath, lifting a paw to press against his no doubt throbbing temple.

He then stiffened, noticing the arms around him. Judy quickly closed her eyes when he looked over his shoulder, deciding she’d mess with him.

“C-Carrots?” he breathed in terrified confusion, his voice tight.

She blinked her eyes open and gave him the biggest smile she could manage, “Good _morning_.”

“Um…” Nick looked to have gone brain dead. “We’re in the same bed together.”

She ran her foot against the back of his knee, “We are.”

“ _Why_?”

“You don’t remember?” she sat up and stretched languidly, sending him her best smoldering look. Nick’s ears fell flat against his skull.

“You came over, had had a few drinks, we had a bit of tea and then you…” she faked a giggle and Nick looked ready to expire.

“Then I _what_?”

Judy leaned forward with a smirk, their noses nearly bumping, “To put it mildly you _ravished_ me.” Her eyes glanced at his lips, “That tongue of yours is magic, you know. I’m still feeling tender in certain places.”

“Oh _God_ ,” Nick buried his face in his paws, ears flaring red.

Judy burst into laughter, nearly falling off the bed, “Okay, okay, calm down, Nick! I was just kidding.”

He peeked at her through his fingers, “You were?”

“Yes, you came over to enjoy some tea and ended up falling asleep on my bed. And I wasn’t about to sleep on the floor."

“Oh,” his paws fell, “Phew.” Then he glared, “You’re evil.”

“I know,” she grinned cheekily, lounging across his lap. “But you’re still a dumb fox.”

“What makes you say that?” he asked through a yawn.

He jolted when she sat up and wrapped her arms around his neck, “You actually think there’s a sliver of a chance that I’d leave you alone.”

“Do I?” he asked softly, his heart beating frantically against her chest.

“Yeah, you’re a real dumb fox.”

“I’m sorry.”

 _Stop apologizing for being you_. She smiled despite her exasperation.

“Did I do anything else stupid?”

Judy considered for a moment, “Not anything that was new.”

She would hold Nick’s confession in her heart, holding her own on her tongue and she would wait. She’d be more open with him, show him how much he meant to her, that no one could replace him, and then he’d know he wouldn’t need rum to share his feelings.

He could just say “I love you”.

And Judy would say the same.


	2. It's Quiet Upstairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gift for neura_sthenic
> 
> Judy is Nick's annoying neighbor but when things go suddenly go quiet in her apartment the fox can't help but be concerned. 
> 
> Based off an AU Prompt

Nick stared at his apartment’s ceiling as if he could see through the peeling paint and old wood to the room upstairs.

So quiet, it was so quiet.

He recalled sage words from his mother that he had never listened to until now: “You don’t know you love something until it’s gone.”

Change love to like and Mrs. Wilde was spot on.

When Nick had first seen the bunny couple move in he had felt a wave of dread. They looked like those annoying lovey-dovey couples that made him want to gag. And he had been _right_.

All the time he heard the two dancing above his head, singing corny duets, laughing over stupid jokes and taking in hushed whispers into the late hours of the night. They ignored Nick’s grumbling, his not too subtle jibes when he passed them in the hall (they were always smiling) and the fox was forced to throw his pillow over his head every night in an attempt to get some sleep. But that was right before he would bang on the ceiling with the broom that was more for décor than actual use, he knew it wouldn’t stop them but he hoped it would at least put a gray cloud in their universe of eternal sunshine and rainbows.

Nick prayed and pleaded and even once thought about performing a sacrifice with animal crackers, to make the couple just calm down and _shut up_.

And one day…his prayers were answered. He had opened his eyes and waited for their tell-tale morning routine as he fixed himself some coffee. There wasn’t any, just quiet footsteps. Nick didn’t dare hope to believe as he left to do his daily hustles that this would last.

But when he arrived home the floor above was silent as the grave, and for a moment the fox seriously consider he might have passed on in his sleep. Or he had become deaf.

He didn’t complain, happy to get some take out and eat it in front of his TV that wasn’t blaring loud now that there were no cheesy duets sung above his head like some love-struck unwanted angels. His sleep came so easy now that all was quiet as it should be. Nick had savored the day.

And was thrilled when the next day was just as silent, nearly jumped in joy when the third day was the same. But after a week it was starting to feel weird.

The week turned into months and slowly Nick got a clue of what was going on. For one he only saw the doe anymore, Judy Hopps was her name, and her once permanent smile was long since gone and he couldn’t remember the last time he had spotted it.

Whispers from the neighbors filled in the puzzle pieces for him:

“… _just up and left_ …”

“… _they seemed so happy_ …”

“… _Some things just don’t work out_ …”

Which led to Nick staring up at his ceiling, his ears twitching as he struggled to hear _something_ , he couldn’t believe it but the quiet had become too loud and now that he was thinking of it the singing and laughter had been kind of endearing.

And he had not seen hide nor hair of Judy Hopps in three days now and he was becoming terrified. Words of Finnick whirling in his head: _Bunnies could die of grief when they lose their mate_.

He cursed under his breath and looked helplessly around the room, opening his refrigerator that was mainly empty, empty take out boxes and half empty bottles of beer taking up a bit of space. However he did spot an unopened vanilla moon cake and grabbed it. Beggars couldn’t be choosers.

And then he _ran_ up the steps to the next floor, ran before he could lose his courage or logic his way out of this plan. He was at the door when his thoughts shifted to: _Why should you care? You’re not friends. She and her buck drove you crazy_.

Nick knocked on the door, waited for a few minutes before knocking again. His ears were laid flat by the heavy thoughts that pedaled his heart into overdrive.

_Bunnies could die of heartbreak._

_Bunnies could die from loneliness._

_Bunnies could die from_ feeling.

It took ten minutes (he counted) of furious knocking and neighbors cursing before the door finally flew open, catching Nick off guard and he tumbled through the doorway, landing on his chin.

Nick looked up to see Judy Hopps, perfectly fine though the light in her violet eyes had faded, staring at him with an expression that was 90% confusion, 10% annoyance.

“Can I help you?” she asked, stepping back and folding her arms, ears draped across her shoulders.

“H- _Hey_ ,” Nick, still sprawled halfway into her apartment, halfway in the hall, pulled up to rest on his elbows, smiling at her with his mind having gone blank. “I’m going door to door to see if anyone would be interested in purchasing a membership card for Katee’s Grass Juice-”

“You’re not a salesmammal,” Judy interrupted him, her voice low and a bit raspy as if she hadn’t spoken in a while. “You’re that con-artist that lives below me.”

Nick’s mouth was open but no words were coming out, he blinked, extended his arm out to her, “Moon cake?”

Her brow furrowed but she accepted the treat, “Thanks?”

Nick jumped back to his feet, straightening his tie and wondering if he should just run back to his apartment and hide out there. But Judy indicated inside her home, “I just made some tea, would you like some Mr…?”

“Wilde,” he explained, walking through the threshold. “Nick Wilde. And yes I would, thank you.”

The tea was hot and bitter and Nick made himself at home in her kitchen, getting a number of ice and sugar cubes for his drink before joining her at a table fit for two.

The rabbit studied him, cup between her paws and moon cake by her elbow. “Is there any reason particular reason you decided to knock on my door for ten straight minutes?”

“Any particular reason it took you that long to answer the door?” Nick shot back.

Judy frowned and turned her eyes back to her tea. Nick mentally cursed himself, he had no idea what he had planned to do upon coming here but being snarky with the sad bunny wasn’t it.

“I thought it was time we properly introduce ourselves,” Nick stated, trying for a friendly smile. “I mean, we’ve been neighbors for almost a year now and you didn’t even know my name.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Judy said with bite to her voice.

Nick cocked an eyebrow, “My name?”

“No, I know you’re here because I’ve…not been myself.”

“You scared me.” Nick didn’t mean to say those words, they had slipped out before he could catch them and now he wondered if he regretted them or not.

Judy looked up at him in surprise, “How could I have scared you? We don’t even know each other.”

“You don’t know me,” Nick stated. “But I know you. Miss Judy Hopps, you love dancing to swing, you sing along to Wrangled and Floatzen songs every time you watch them, or when you cook. You think knock knock jokes are comedic gold though I don’t know why. And you always-”

He was interrupted by Judy suddenly releasing a broken sob, her eyes filling with tears and her lip wobbling.

“What did I say!?” Nick balked, he was glad he didn’t want to cheer animals up for a living.

“How do you know so much about me?” Judy sniffed, rubbing her eyes but the tears still streamed down her cheeks. “And he knew…nothing.”

The next thing Nick knew he was sitting on her couch, listening to Judy sob out her story, her head buried in his shoulder and her paws clutching his arm. Nick awkwardly sipped his tea as she explained how her now ex didn’t understand that she longed to be a cop, had thought it was a joke, got mad at her when she explained she had signed up to join the ZPD Academy.

“I never heard you two arguing,” was the only thing he could think to say.

“We didn’t want to bother anyone with yelling.”

The irony of that statement had Nick snorting in amusement, glancing at her with a wry grin, “You never cared before.”

Her ears flared red and she glanced away, her paws still holding his arm, “Sorry.”

Nick sighed softly, “He doesn’t sound like he’s worth all these tears, Hopps.”

“I loved him,” Judy breathed brokenly. “I thought he was my soulmate.”

"It's a good thing you didn't," Nick swished his cup, looking at the dregs of damp sugar. "Otherwise you could've died."

"I beg your pardon?" Judy gave him an affronted look.

Feeling embarrassed Nick tried a shrug, "Well, you know-you know bunnies are all about true love and-and I don't know, don't think you can live without your soulmate?"

Judy stared at him for a moment and Nick braced himself to get kicked out. But then Judy threw her head back and laughed.

Nick could only gawk at her as she held her stomach, the tears forming at the corner of her eyes ones of mirth.

"I never thought," she spoke once she had collected herself. "I'd hear a fox say something like that. You know your rabbits, huh?"

"Technically my friend told me this," Nick explained. "After I told him how quiet you've been."

Judy looked him over, her smile carrying a trace of good-mannered wonder, "I thought we annoyed you. What with your growling at us and banging your broom on the ceiling."

"I thought you annoyed me too," he admitted, "But now...now I think I missed it. I mean, you can't sing at _all_ , and you have footsteps way too heavy for a bunny and you do _not_ know what makes a good joke but...that's all kind of endearing in its own weird way."

Judy giggled, her own light was starting to spark again, and that relieved Nick _far_ more than it should.

She leaned against his side, placing her paw on his knee, "You're sweet."

That was an adjective no one had ever used to describe Nick, still the fox pretended like it was no big deal. "Whatever."

She made no move to pull away from him and he guessed she needed the warmth. Nick could admit to, at least himself, that it had been a long time since he was touched by another animal, he had missed it.

"If it'll make you feel better I can go back to singing," Judy offered after a few minutes of silence.

Nick chuckles, "Maybe you should hear me sing first? Give you a clue on how _good_ singing sounds?"

She smiled softly at him, "I think I'd like that. I've never done a duet with a fox."

Nick was talking more to himself than her when he spoke next: "There's a first time for everything."


	3. Behind the Stacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gift for hannahberrie
> 
> College AU  
> Nick and Judy are trying to study but find it hard to do when nature calls for two VERY vocal college students. 
> 
> Rated T for a lot of talk and jokes about sex

Judy sat in a little corner seat next to the library’s window, trying to focus on the words of her text book so she’d be ready for her final exam in a few days.

But it was hard to do that when she could hear moaning from the other side of the book shelf, along with the books shaking in a continuous rhythm.

It also didn’t help that a few feet from her a fox was sitting at a table, trying to read as well but mainly exchanging embarrassed glances with Judy.

When the female behind the shelf told her significant other to go faster she slammed her book closed, giving up on studying. She looked mournfully toward the exit of the library but know if she tried to leave she’d get a good look at the…activity going on far too close and Judy wasn’t ready for that level of trauma.

She nearly jumped out of her fur when all of a sudden the fox was right there, practically sitting on her toes.

“Maybe if we make out it would be less awkward,” he suggested jokingly.

Judy chuckled softly, “I don’t know.” She flinched when a book fell to the floor. “They’re very vocal.”

“They could have at least found a corner for their midday mating,” the fox grumbled. “We can’t leave without passing them and seeing them walk out when they finish, which will probably be next year, is already way more than I need.”

Judy studied the fox who cringed, eyes on the bookshelf.

If she remembered correctly his name was Nick Wilde and he was a business major, he was in a few remedial classes with her and she sometimes saw him in the cafeteria, but they never talked, never had a reason to. They walked in different circles, lived different lives.

She suddenly broke into a giggle and Nick glanced at her. “That girl’s rodeo pun wasn’t _that_ funny.”

Judy shook her head, “Oh no, I was thinking of something else actually.”

“You can do that with porn in the making over there,” Nick looked shocked. He clasped his paws in a beseeching manner, “Tell me your secret!”

“It was just something my grandma said,” Judy shrugged. “How the strangest occurrences can bring two completely different animals together. Though I don’t think she imagined the occurrence would be not so subtle sex in a college’s library.”

Nick glanced back at the shaking shelf, “How do you know they’re so different.”

"I meant us.”

“Oh. _Oh_.” Nick looked at her, appearing to size her up. “I don’t think we’re that different.”

Judy titled her head, “You don’t?”

“No, I mean we’re both incredibly uncomfortable with hearing moans in surround sound. That’s something.”

“Yeah,” she let out a chuckling breath, “There’s that.”

Another book fell to the floor and they both looked back at the shelf. “It’s starting to sound painful,” Nick pointed out.

“Yeah,” Judy cringed.

“What kind of animals do you think they are?”

“Probably rabbits,” Judy answered honestly. Nick turned his muzzle toward her.

“I-I mean, you know, rabbits go into heat,” she stated, feeling her ears blushing.

When he still just stared at her, “Not that _I_ would have sex behind a stack of books if I was in heart, I’m a lady, I swear!”

Nick chuckled at her embarrassed expression, “Should I be worried you’re going to jump on me?”

“Of course not,” she snapped, then couldn’t resist adding: “I have my standards.”

“Oh-ho!” the fox chortled, “Sassy bunny, I like it.” His smile didn’t wane as he seemed to take in ever feature of her face, “Where have you been all my life?”

Judy’s brow knit and her ears were hot and that couple were _still_ going. Nick looked back at the shelf, “You think they’d speed things up if we moaned back? Don’t scoot away like that I meant _just_ moaning, you know, acting.”

Judy glanced at shaking shelf, “I expect me to do a lot of strange things while I’m in college but having a moaning contest with a fornicating couple is not one of those things.”

“Pity,” Nick stated, “I bet you’d be good at faking an orgasm.”

When Judy scowled at him he held his paws up in surrender, “Don’t get upset, that’s a compliment.”

But before Judy could reply to his ‘compliment’ there was a long low moan and the couple was finally done. Both she and Nick visibly relaxed.

From the stacks came two deer, the buck zipping up his pants and the doe fixing her shirt.

Judy pulled her eyes to her lap, ready to let them walk off and never see them again. Nick was not.

“Have you guys heard of the crazy new invention?” he called out, making the two deer jump. By their surprised expressions they had no idea they had had an audience.

Nick continued: “It’s called _bedrooms_ and guess what? Most come with _locked doors_.” He mockingly widened his eyes and waved his fingers, “Ooo, magic.”

The doe blushed and all but ran out of the room, but the buck glared at both Nick and Judy (even though the bunny hadn’t said a word). He snapped at Nick, “Don’t be petty because the rabbit doesn’t want to sleep with you.”

Judy’s ears shot up. _Where had_ that _come from?!_

“I do sleep with her, actually,” Nick said easily and Judy’s jaw dropped. “And we’re both very good at it. Toe curling, knotted tails good. Thing is, we don’t feel the need to-” he glanced at Judy- “What did you call it, darling? Fornicate?”

Judy could only stare at him in disbelief.

Nick looked back at the stag, “The point is we don’t need to have sex in public to prove anything.”

The buck grunted and with a roll of his eyes stomped out of the room. As soon as he was gone Judy kicked Nick, sending him to the floor.

“Okay,” he said, rubbing the tail he had landed on. “I may have deserved that.”

“ _May have_?” she breathed furiously. Unlike the deer couple she didn’t wish to draw attention. “Why on earth would you say all that?”

“Because that stay needed to be put in his place,” Nick stated. “Thinking he’s all that because he’s dating a girl of the same species, that we couldn’t be a good couple because I’m a fox and you’re a rabbit.”

“We aren’t dating,” Judy seethed.

“But if we _were_ ,” Nick pointed out, raising a finger, “He was very rude.”

“For some reason that doesn’t surprise me,” Judy stated. “He _did_ just have sex in a public library, I know I’m not going near that shelf again.”

“But speaking of,” Nick pulled himself onto his feet. “That took them _forever_. How did his doefriend handle it?” He looked over at Judy, “How long does it take your buck?”

“I’m not dating anyone,” Judy said, deciding it was time to leave this library that she would never see the same way again. She may even avoid it for the rest of the year. “But if I did it wouldn’t take him that long.”

Nick followed after her, “Then find a guy like me, Carrots. Ask any of my old gal pals I’ve _very_ good in the sheets.”

Judy glanced at him and couldn’t help but say, “Sorry, I wasn’t clear. It would also take him more than six seconds.”

She had to bite her smile as Nick nearly fell to the floor, laughing so hard he had to hold a paw to his gut. “ _Damn_ , Fluff!” he bared his teeth in a grin, “That’s _savage_.”

Judy shrugged while the fox collected himself. “But FYI,” Nick began, putting his paws on his hips and lifting his snout proudly, “Six seconds is all I need.”

“That talented, huh?”

“I’m like a Vine,” he stated, “Only need a handful of seconds to make you smile.”

Judy rolled her eyes but her smile refused to waver, “That _is_ impressive. I have to go to class now but later I’m going to hunt down those gal pals and see if it’s true.”

“Hey, Carrots,” he called before she disappeared around the corner. Judy looked back at him.

He was still grinning and Judy supposed he had a nice smile. “Instead of being told why don’t I show you?”

She lowered her ears to hide behind her head, hoping he didn’t notice how they flushed pink.

Nick winked, “If you’re curious hunt me down at the next frat party, I may be talented but I’m also easily flattered. And it gets even easier when the flatterer is a pretty girl.”


	4. Bitter Thespians

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A gift for weatheredlaw
> 
> The classic pretend to be my boyfriend trope.

_Pretend to be my boyfriend_ , she had said. _My parents saw you in a picture and jumped to conclusions. I don’t want to correct them. They’re so desperate for me to be in a relationship_.

 _Come to my family reunion_ , she had also said, _Pretend with me for just one week._

All this while Judy Hopps had no idea that the fox on the receiving end of this request, Nick Wilde, her partner, her best friend, her _fox_ (cause that would always be the biggest issue), was deeply, madly, irrevocably in love with her. The kind of love that had him falling asleep to her voice on the phone, subconsciously knowing her favorite breakfast foods and buying it before she asks, knowing with a twitch of her nose or flick of her ear what kind of mood she was in because he spent FAR TOO MUCH TIME staring at her. It was the love that never gave you a moment’s peace.

Nick had pulled on the causality he wore like a suit of armor, to show the world it couldn’t get to him, and accepted. “But if they find out we’re just acting I’m throwing you under the bus.”

Judy rolled her eyes. Thanked him sincerely. Smiled. And Nick wondered when chinks had appeared in his armor.

.

They arrived at Bunnyburrow late at night, too late for Judy to give her family a proper hello or Nick a proper introduction. She only hugged her father who unlocked the door for them, Nick waving his paw and led the equally exhausted fox upstairs to her room.

They collapsed onto her bed and fell asleep before they even realized they were sharing a bed.

Nick woke up first, probably because it was new surroundings and softly shook Judy awake. The bunny rubbed her now crusty eyes and looked up, unable to keep her face from pulling into a smirk.

“What?” Nick asked around a yawn.

“I didn’t know you got bed fur,” Judy chuckled, sliding off the bed and onto her feet with a stretch.

Nick looked down at his wrinkly floral print and then his russet fur that was clumped up and messy. He gave her a wry look, “Oh, like you’re ready to walk down the red carpet.”

Judy chuckled, rubbing down the fur on her ears. Nick looked so vulnerable with his fur a mess, and Judy decided she liked seeing this unseen side of him.

Judy had let Nick take a shower first but hurried out before he could brush his teeth or fix his still damp fur. Judy hurried with a quick shower, eager to get downstairs to see her family. But pulled Nick in when she was ready to brush her teeth, saying they could do that together. And just like seeing Nick soft-faced and drowsy, standing next to him before a bathroom mirror had her ears perking up and her cottontail giving a twitch.

.

Nick didn’t want to travel down the stairs after Judy gave him his orders. He had to touch her. “Not like groping or anything,” she quickly explained. “Just put an arm around me or hold paws once in a while, just to give off the ‘we’re madly in love’ vibe.”

Nick couldn’t help his stomach bubbling with bitterness at those words but he did good at not showing that he wouldn’t need to act.

He was surrounded by rabbits almost instantly, names and questions thrown so quickly Nick had a sense of being buried. But when he managed to get the words sorted he saw Judy’s eyes widening in panic. They hadn’t planned for any questions. But Judy forgot Nick already knew her.

Her ears dropped with relief and her brows rose, impressed, as he answered each question perfectly, without hesitation.

A few minutes later every Hopps was successfully in love with the fox, ushering him and Judy to the breakfast table.

“Slick Nick,” Judy breathed, leaning forward and letting Nick catch a whiff of her strawberry scented shampoo along with the natural Judy scent of fresh grass, carrots, and sunshine.

High on the scent Nick said something stupid: “Don’t be so surprised, Carrots. We’re practically married already.”

Judy chuckled with a good-natured eye roll and Nick tried not to choke on air.

They were halfway through breakfast, some rabbits going on about past reunion shenanigans, when Judy clearly her throat subtly. Nick glanced at her and she was giving him a specific look. Realizing what she meant Nick dropped his fork in a frenetic rush and then stretched her arms out in an obvious manner and dropped his arm around her shoulders.

Judy smiled, satisfied, and even leaned in closer to his side. Nick swallowed and tried to return to his meal but all he could wonder was how fur as soft as hers felt like needles.

And the pain didn’t ease. Not for the rest of the day.

Not when he ran his thumb across her neck, pulling back to see if the pain had caused him to bleed. He was mildly surprised his palm was unscathed.

It stung like a thousand bees when he wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close while they chatted with relatives, and watched the kids running across the lawn.

But it _burned_ when it was Judy who touched him. Reaching her paw out to interlace their fingers together as they walked through the fields of blueberry bushes (they both returned with berry stained mouths and paws). And later they curled up with some teens and children to watch a movie in the living room, Judy having burrowed into Nick’s side.

And he managed-just somehow-to take a deep breath-and enjoy it.

.

Judy was now hyper aware of Nick as they crawled into her bed that she now realized was far too small. But this was her idea and she wouldn’t be flustered, at least, she wouldn’t let the fox know she was.

Nick had immediately put his back to her when they lied down and Judy shouldn’t have felt the twinge of disappointment that she did.

What, did she want them to talk all night instead of sleep? And odds were Nick wasn’t ecstatic about having to share a bed with her in the first place.

“Good night, Nick,” she said quietly into the dark, after turning off her light.

“G’night, Carrots,” Nick mumbled sleepily.

Bright moonlight was shining through her window and Nick’s red fur practically glowed in the ivory light. Judy found herself studying the fox, she had never really been this close, her knees tracing the edges of his spine, her muzzle close enough she could probably count every red hair on the back of his head.

 _Stop it_ , Judy’s mind suddenly scolded, her heart picking up pace, just a fraction. _You’re being creepy_.

Judy swallowed her mouth bizarrely dry and closed her eyes, trying to drift off into sleep. But it was only a few moments later when she scooted closer to Nick, her head resting in the crook of his neck.

.

It was a few days later when Judy requested something of Nick that nearly made the poor fox run all the way back to Zootopia and hide under his bed.

“Kiss me while everyone’s looking.”

She had whispered it to him as they left the bedroom but before Nick could respond, before he could register her words and figure out if she had meant _right now_ , a couple of Judy’s siblings stumbled upon them and dragged them downstairs.

Through the morning Nick had hoped Judy had forgotten her ridiculous and far too tempting plan. She busied herself with cooking and singing and playing and Nick helped get caught up in the sense of family, he wasn’t used to it, but Nick decided he rather liked having millions of rabbits pulling on his paws and chatting in his ears and smiling at him and, while they took a breath, _listened_ to him.

But then Nick ended up in a crowd next to Judy where the main topic became couples, awkward first meetings, messy wedding days, one or two heartbreaks.

And the next thing Nick knew a few teasing cousins told Nick and Judy to kiss, and then suddenly it was a loud chant that beat on Nick’s already pounding ears.

Judy had turned to him with an embarrassed smile but an expectant look. It was all part of the big performance. Spotlight was on them. Don’t let the audience down.

Nick gently held her shoulders, paws dipping down to trace across her arms. Judy’s eyes fluttered shut and her mouth tipped up toward him and Nick tried to remember how to breathe, wondered if kissing her would be as painful as just putting his paws on her.

 _Lights, camera, action._ Nick dipped his head down so quickly their lips crashed together like two boats in a storm. Judy had jolted from the impact but didn’t pull away, instead letting her lips slide open and her arms trailed over his neck and Nick wondered how she was so calm.

He then reminded himself that Judy was just play-acting, her heart wasn’t pounding against her ribs, ready to break, her lips didn’t feel like they had kissed the sun and the sun had kissed back, her spirits weren’t both soaring over the sky and buried in a six foot deep grave.

Judy thought Nick was a good fox but she was wrong, a good fox wouldn’t let his emotions carry him away, a good fox wouldn’t greedily crave more. Nick held her velvety soft face between his paws and took in the taste of carrots and blueberries and _her_. He pulled all his too real too bitter too demanding emotions into the kiss and prayed Judy would just think he was a hammy actor.

They pulled away to loud applause and teasing catcalls but Nick was too preoccupied watching Judy stare at him, expression open and confused, eyes shimmering. And he hoped she would continue to be his dumb bunny and not figure it out.

But another part of him…a small part that dreamed beyond possibilities and logic, hoped she had.

.

Judy realized Nick was in love with her when they kissed.

She had felt it.

She had felt it through the paws that had touched her so gently, through his lips that had kissed her with urgency and a passion she hadn’t braced herself for.

And when he pulled away she felt his longing and heartache, his expression begging her not to realize, to never know. And Judy’s legs almost gave out.

A few of her sisters had pulled her away seconds later, Judy didn’t know why, she wasn’t listening. She was realizing how _awful_ of an animal she was.

How had she never realized her best friend’s feelings? Why did he accept this ridiculous plan when it would only hurt him?

 _Because he loves you_ , her mind told her the obvious, _He’d do anything for you_.

Judy of course already knew that, had known that for such a long time, she would do the exact same for him. She’d jump in front of a crazy animal for him, she’d pack her things and go to a crazy reunion for him, pretend to be a couple, hold back the pain that it was all fake because she-

Judy halted in the hallway, her sisters taking a few more steps before they realized Judy had stopped.

“What’s up, sis?” one of them asked. But then all three panicked when they saw the tears welling in their baby sister's eyes.

Judy took in a shuddery breath and released it with a confession: “I’m in love with him.”

Her sisters reactions were a mixture of relieved sighs and eye rolls (“Of course you do, Jude, he’s your _boyfriend_ ).

They continued to pull Judy along with him as the rabbit tried to pull life back into focus, tried to figure out how she didn’t know this already when it was now so clear, in her face and demanding to know what she would do next.

Judy had no idea.

.

It was the last night at the Hopps house that Nick joined fathers and uncles to a brew and ended up drinking far too much because it was almost time to go back to Zootopia and he couldn’t touch or kiss Judy anymore.

Which eventually led to him calling it a night and stumbling back to Judy’s room while she socialized with her family, flopping onto the bed and curling into the blankets and pillows, depressingly breathing in her scent like Judy was going to leave forever and he had to memorize her?

He buried his snout into her pillow and confessed what he couldn’t say to her: “I love you.” And then, because he could, he said it again: “I love you.”

And again and again and again and again, an endless drunken mantra that tumbled into mutterings until Nick had fallen asleep.

He had to have fallen asleep because the dream he had was too bizarre. Judy had come into the room to check on him, sitting on the edge of the bed. And Nick had sat up, blurry eyes blinking at her. And he did something he would never have the guts to do in real life.

He told her he loved her.

He was pretty sure he had kissed her too but memories of that had quickly shifted into dark slumber and Nick decided holding onto the dream wasn’t a good thing to do. This entire week wasn’t healthy, and it was time to stop the play-acting.

.

Judy sat in the Zootopia express, her ears down and her head hanging. Nick had become distant since that morning, waking up and getting ready without rousing Judy like he had been doing.

She had reached for his paw when they headed to the kitchen but he had pulled his paw away abruptly. He hadn’t even sat with her at breakfast.

An hour later of hugs and goodbyes from her family she sat next to the fox who might as well have been an iceberg as still and freezing he felt.

 _I get it_ , she sadly thought to herself. _He’s mad at me, probably feels betrayed, I used him. And he thinks I didn’t catch on to how he feels_.

Judy glanced from the corner of her eye at the stony faced fox who’s eyes were glued to the wall across the car.

 _I do know, Nick. And I feel the same I just…I’m_ scared.

Too many times the truth had balanced on the tip of her tongue, ready to fall out and let him know that his feelings were mutual, that it was okay. But she always bit the confession back because she wasn’t sure it was okay. She didn’t know if she was worth it. And the last thing she wanted was for Nick to ever regret her.

The train came to a stop at the station and Nick grabbed his bag and made a beeline for the doors that slid open.

“Wait,” Judy hurried after him.

“There’s some thing I need to do,” Nick grumbled lowly, his tail bristling. “See you later.”

He walked onward and Judy stared after him, her insides twisting into knots. She was scared, it felt…it felt like if Nick left now they’d lose something they’d never get back. And hearing the word _loss_ next to the word _Nick_ filled her with the kind of courage that would have her jumping into a lion’s mouth.

“Nick!” she yelled out, dashing after him.

The fox turned and jumped, eyes widening, when he saw Judy charging to him. “What is it?”

She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and looked him dead in the eye as she hopped into the awaiting jaws: “I love you.”

He flinched, stepped back so swiftly he yanked his shirt out of Judy’s grasp. His eyes were narrowed and his expression was angry, “I’m done acting, Judy.”

Judy. Not Carrots, not Fluff, _Judy_.

Her lips were a thin line, “Neither am I.”

It was amazing how Nick, a fox that was usually so charming and confident, could look so unsure and vulnerable and scared. It made Judy feel braver, because if she wasn’t there to protect Nick who would be.

“I know you’re in love with me Nick,” Judy began. “And not just because you drunkenly confessed to me last night.”

He looked horrified but she hurried on: “I realized you were when you kissed me. That-that wasn’t a fake kiss, Nick. And then I suddenly realized, kinda out of the blue, that I loved you too.”

She looked up at him with beseeching violet eyes, “But I wouldn’t have made you pretend like that if I had known before hand. Nick, I’m so sorry. I know I hurt you.”

“Carrots…” he breathed, his expression pained. “I should’ve…I should’ve told you a long time ago.”

“You should have,” she agreed, taking a step forward. Nick didn’t move away. “But I understand why you didn’t. I almost didn’t myself.”

“What changed your mind?”

“It felt like if I let you leave you wouldn’t come back,” she admitted but then let out a squeak of surprise when Nick wrapped his arms around her.

“You know I could never do that,” he breathed against her ear, his hold tight and unrelenting and comforting.

“I just,” her muzzle was buried into his neck like when they had shared her bed. “I’m not sure if I’m worth it.”

“You’re worth everything,” he assured her. She felt his lips touch her shoulder and her heart felt like it had expanded. “You’re worth everything.”

Judy returned the hug, trying to put all her feelings behind it, her relief that everything was okay, her sorrow for putting him through so much pain, her love for him that was too powerful to ever wane.

“ _You’re_ everything.”


	5. The Magic of Locked Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sequel to Behind the Stacks
> 
> Warning: M rated chapter (aka: smut)

It wasn’t that Judy hadn’t forgotten that awkward yet amusing day at the library, or Nick Wilde’s offer.

She had just thought he was _kidding_.

Her best friend Clawhauser had invited her to the party for some good old fashioned boy hunting. Judy had just went along because she had nothing better to do. But she stepped into the house and almost instantly lost sight of the cheetah in the crowd. Something she found sort of ridiculous considering the feline’s size. But Judy was fine in accepting a red solo cup of beer and mingling, taking small sips as she passed by friends and couples who were either having the time of their lives or wishing they were anywhere else.

Judy had moved to the kitchen and aimlessly stood there for a few minutes before a voice spoke up behind her: “So you came?”

Judy whirled around, a smile unconsciously curling her lips as she saw Nick standing before her. “Or do you plan on doing that later?” he winked.

“Shut up,” Judy laughed, lightly punching his arm. “It’s been a while.”

“And it has been a cold, lonely while Carrots,” Nick bemoaned, finishing up his own cup and tossing it in a nearby trash can. “I thought I’d never see your fluffy little tail again.”

“There’s no need to be looking for my tail,” she said with an eye roll before placing her still full cup on a counter. And apparently that was all the flirting a less than sober Nick Wilde could stand for.

“Wanna Vine?” he asked, his thumbs resting in his pockets.

Judy furrowed her brow, “Excuse me?”

“You know, Vine. The six second thing we talked about last time.”

Oh. _Oh_. He was asking her to…Judy felt her skin burn.

“If you’ll remember me saying I was a lady,” Judy reminded a little breathlessly, “And I thought you were joking.”

“I like you, Fluff,” he stated simply. The four words made her heart swell.

“If you did you’d be fine with just talking,” Judy pointed out.

“I like to talk,” he replied, his ears pricking with enthusiasm.

“Oh…okay,” Judy looked toward the living room that was overcrowded with loud, drunken animals, that wasn’t a good place to talk. And it looked like a drinking game had just started up between a lion and a cape buffalo in the kitchen and it was getting an audience.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Judy told Nick, “To _talk_.” She added the last part because going upstairs meant finding a bedroom to talk.

Nick followed her with a lazy smile up the steps and then proceeded to help her look for a nice place to talk. Problem was all the rooms were taken, either locked or not, some full of sleeping animals, some with adjoining bathrooms where loud gagging noises could be heard. And even, of course, some animals mating.

“Oh _come on_!” Judy slammed the door shut, her eyes shut tight while Nick burst into laughter.

“Wanna set up a petition for a college course that teaches its class how to lock doors?” he grinned as they continued the search.

“Yes please,” she moaned before finding an unlocked bathroom. She stepped inside but before she could say anything Nick spoke up: “Oh, oh! Can we talk in here?”

Judy looked at him with an arched brow, “Why?”

“We could be like in the movies were two characters talk and bond while sitting in the bathtub during a party,” he looked as excited as a child on a holiday at the prospect.

Judy giggled, “Okay, we can sit here.” But before they could Nick locked the door and Judy couldn’t help giving him a weird look.

“Odds are we’re going to open up about some personal and traumatizing things, Carrots,” he pointed out. “Do you really want some drunken frat guy to stumble in and pee in the middle of that?”

“Good point,” Judy replied.

Nick sat in the tub, his legs and arms hanging on from the lip of the white oval. He patted the space next to him and Judy crawled in to join him, holding her legs to her chest.

“So what’s your life story, Carrots?” he asked.

“Well…I grew up in Bunnyburrow,” Judy started off, not sure what would interest the fox. But she knew right away she wanted to impress him, for some odd reason.

“Funnily enough I guessed that,” Nick quipped with a teasing smirk. “You’re not like city bunnies.”

“What are city bunnies like?” she asked, having only met a hare or two since she moved to the college.

“Shallow,” Nick said flatly, “Artificial. Think they’re too good for other mammals.”

Those words gave her pause, “It sounds like you’ve tried to date bunnies before.”

“Take that as a compliment,” he winked.

“Why?”

Her question made him frown slightly, “What?”

“I just mean…take your insistence for liking me for example,” Judy explained. “You barely know me.”

“I think you’re pretty,” he stated and Judy blushed, “That’s enough for me to like you.”

“Hmm,” Judy said, turning her eyes to her toes that pressed against the wall of the tub. She didn’t mind being called pretty (better than cute) but she felt a twinge of disappointment that that was all Nick saw of her.

“But,” he continued, “I actually do know a few things about you little miss criminal justice major.”

Judy’s eyes grew as she turned her head to look at him, “How on earth did you know that was my major?” She narrowed her eyes in suspicion, “Have you been following me?”

“Of course not,” Nick replied with faux dismay. He placed his paw over his heart, “What do you take me for? A creep who gets busy in a library?”

“Okay, then how _do_ you know?” Judy asked.

“You’re the only rabbit,” Nick pointed out.

“No, I’m not,” she said. “There’s a hare I know studying to be a lawyer.”

“But _you’re_ studying to be a cop,” he replied, “You don’t think that piece of gossip hasn’t made the rounds.”

Oh. Judy supposed she should have figured that, it had been a few months now and she was still getting weird looks when she arrived (early) for lessons. “What else made the rounds?”

“Nothing else that caught my ear,” he replied, then gave her a look like he wouldn’t know how she’d react to his next words, “I didn’t follow you around, but I did ask about you.”

Judy’s nose twitched with curiosity, “Who did you ask?”

“Your friends of course, like that cheetah Clawhauser. FYI, from the looks he kept giving me while we talked he _may_ have a crush on me.”

“Ben has a thing for bad boys,” Judy informed him. “What did he say about me?”

“The same thing Fru Fru and Emmitt and Bucky and Prong said,” Nick replied. “That you’re sweet and smart and funny and athletic and wise and clever and a bunch of other verbs that are telling me you’re the most perfect little bunny in all of Zootopia.”

Judy’s lips were pulled up into a smile, “They like to exaggerate.”

“By how much?” Nick asked with a teasing grin, “I was starting to think I found the girl of my dreams.”

And _there_ was the blushing again, “You say stuff like that all the time, don’t you?”

“What can I say?” he shrugged, “I’m a romantic.”

.

A few minutes later the two were relaxing against the tub and swapping firsts.

“First kiss?” Judy asked, feeling the throb of the music down below.

“Vixy Duncan, second grade,” he answered. “Wait, are we talking about peck on the cheek or passionate making out?”

“Passionate making out.”

He nodded, “Then yeah, Vixy Duncan, second grade.”

Judy thought for a moment then decided to get _that_ question out of the way, “First time you had sex?”

“Vixy Duncan, second-” he broke into a laugh when Judy kicked his thigh. “Kidding, kidding. How about you answer that one first? I’d like to know if I’m in a tub with a virgin like in all my fantasies.”

“Sorry,” Judy shrugged a shoulder.

He pouted but she couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not, “When was this?”

“Last year, actually,” Judy replied. “I was taking a year off before I moved from high school to college and went to a party and thought-might as well cross that off so I no longer have to worry about it. His name was Rupert Longfoot.”

“Prude,” Nick replied and Judy sent him a glare that held no venom. He jerked a thumb to his chest, “Marian Evans, junior year of high school.”

“ _Slut_ ,” Judy quipped and Nick burst into a round of laughter that was so contagious. She let out a giggle, her heart picking up its pace. There was something incredibly exhilarating and satisfying about getting Nick Wilde to laugh.

But her heart only picked up to a more frantic speed when Nick suddenly leaned over and rested the back of his head against her chest. It was like the blood pumping organ wanted to get away from the sudden embarrassing situation.

“I can’t tell you you’re wrong,” he admitted, looking up at her. “It’s no coincidence my last name is Wilde.”

“I’m from Bunnyburrow,” she tried to chuckle but it came out as a hysterical exhale of breath. “Experienced animals are a norm there-except for Jude the Prude.”

He chuckled a bit then gave her a thoughtful look, “Does this position make you uncomfortable Carrots?”

“A little,” she didn’t lie. Immediately Nick sat up and she felt grateful for respecting her wishes. She knew plenty of bucks that wouldn’t have done the same.

“Let’s ask how our firsts went,” he suggested, maneuvering himself so he faced her, Judy followed suit. “And don’t try to wiggle out of this. I mean the first time you had sex not your first kiss.”

“How was _your_ first time?” Judy shot back.

Nick answered bluntly: “Awful.”

That had her blinking, “Excuse me? I thought you said you were good in the sheets.”

“I am _now_. Not when I was seventeen and didn’t know anything about knotting.”

Judy shuddered in sympathy, “Oh, that.”

“You know about knotting?”

“I paid attention in health class.”

“Heh,” Nick said, for once looking a tad bit flustered. “I _am_ much better at it now. I haven’t knotted in years.”

Judy wouldn’t call that a good thing, when a fox knotted that meant he cared for who he mated with. Hadn’t Nick ever loved anyone?

“How was Rupert Longfoot?” Nick asked, eager to turn the attention off himself. He kept acting like Judy was the more interesting of the two when she knew she was clearly not.

She shrugged, “I’m not sure.” When Nick gave her a weird look she continued: “He was my first, I mean, I don’t think he was _awful_ but I don’t have anyone to compare him with.”

Suddenly something slammed into the door and Judy jumped, looked toward the white rectangle that hadn’t budged.

“It’s locked,” a voice said on the other end, sounding breathless and impatient.

“Let’s just find a closet or something,” another voice answered.

Judy looked back at Nick to see the fox had never taken her eyes off her. The couple in the hall kissed and moaned loudly as they moved on to find a closet.

“No one to compare, hmm?” Nick asked, his voice low and his tongue traced the black of his lips. “That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

.

Judy breathed in the scent of Nick’s natural musk, finding it matched him. As did his coarse fur that sent sparks through her fingers.

But she was surprised she managed to take note of anything with Nick’s tongue ravaging her mouth and his paws under her shirt.

He let out a hiss of pleasure as her paw that wasn’t massaging his neck stroked him, her gray wrist standing out against the blue rim of his jeans. “You’re good at that,” his growl rasped against her throat. “Done it before?”

“No,” her voice rose in pitch as his teeth massaged her neck. “I just-just read a bit.”

He chuckled under his breath hot and moist against her fur, “A dirty bookworm, I like that.”

Judy unbuckled the first few buttons of his shirt to expose his chest, her fingers running through the creamy fur while she nuzzled into his neck. Nick massaged circles against her belly and spine, his lips trailing up her ear and she felt herself shiver.

He breathed against her ear, “Sensitive there, huh, Fluff?”

“My most sensitive spot,” she mumbled.

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true,” Nick teased and before Judy could respond he slipped his paw under her pants. The bunny let out a yelp of surprise, unable to hold back a moan as his fingers massaged her core. Judy stroked him harder in payback and she was rewarded by the throaty noise that erupted from the fox’s lips.

“You’re evil,” he grinned at her.

“You’re one to talk,” she shot back with her own sultry smile. The moan she made next was high pitched when Nick unbuckled her pants to slip his other paw in, his nails lightly tracing the soft of her flesh.

“Carrots…” his voice was a growl, “If this keeps up…”

“We can go farther,” her small pink nose pressed against his own, “But under one condition.”

“What?”

“I want you to knot.”

He tensed underneath her, “What?”

“I want you to knot,” she repeated.

“Why would you want that?” he demanded in disbelief, “It’s not a _good_ thing.”

“Those are my terms,” Judy said, pulling her paws away. “If you can’t agree I’m going back downstairs.”

Nick’s expression was torn but he was far too gone to get up and walk away.

“Fine,” he replied. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

A few moments later Judy was straddling him, she was on his lap but he was in her. And of course it felt different from mating with a rabbit, but not in a bad way. It was warmer for one thing, Judy’s flesh felt on fire as she wrapped her arms around his neck, his paws on her hips as he moved her up and then down. They couldn’t think straight to toss out some teasing banter, instead breathing out moans into each other’s ears. Their paws ran over each other’s fur and Judy temporarily wondered if her fur was soft enough and then Nick let out a growl that sent shivers down her spine.

She couldn’t hold back a breathless giggle, “You okay?”

Nick pulled her closer, making her suck in a sharp breath. She felt so full. “Never better,” he rasped, nuzzling into her neck. “This was a good idea…best idea, actually.”

“You’re just saying that,” she replied before grinding against him. The friction kept him from replying to her words; instead he focused on bucking his hips against hers.

A few seconds later and Judy felt her muscles go rigid as Nick moaned low in his throat as he burst.

Judy dug her blunt nails into his shoulders as stars and needles overwhelmed her. She buried her head in his neck, shivering, as she and the fox came down, leaving them panting and sated very much stuck together.

“Are you alright?” he asked, his paws resting on her hips where he had pinched her flesh with his claws.

“I’m fine,” she reassured him, “That wasn’t as bad as you acted like it would be.”

It hurt yes, she was incredibly sore now, probably would feel worse tomorrow. But it was worth it. Having sex with Nick Wilde? That was _amazing_.

But there was no need to tell him that right away when she could tease him, “Kinda disappointed.”

He flinched and Judy quickly went on: I mean, that was longer than six seconds.”

“Oh,” he relaxed under her. “I guess you just threw em off my game, sly bunny.”

Judy pulled her head back to meet his eyes, “So then I’m a very talented Jude the Prude?”

“Very,” he flirted with a growl. “But this was about you getting some experience. So? Who was better, Longfoot or Wilde?”

Judy pretended to contemplate the question for a few moments before giving a loose shrug, “I guess you’re a little better.”

He rolled his eyes, “And my friends say _I_ can’t give a decent compliment.”

“Thing is Nick, I don’t want to make this awkward,” she spoke with purposeful casualness. “I could tell you that was amazing but it seems a little pointless when this was a one time thing and we’re gonna be stuck together for a while.”

Her words were meant with silence and Nick blinked at her, Judy’s ears fell. Maybe bringing that up hadn’t been a wise choice?

“Huh,” he looked up, his expression thoughtful, “Huh…”

“What?” Judy furrowed her brow.

“I’ve never been someone’s booty-call,” he stated simply. “I’m trying to figure out how to feel about this-besides heartbroken.”

Judy’s ears flew back up, “No, I meant… Didn’t you think this was a one night stand?”

“What kind of impression have I left on you?” he asked and then shrugged, “I didn’t think we’d move in together but I was hoping my charm could at least get me a date after this. Or should I have upped my romantic game a bit more?”

“Your game was fine,” she replied, “I just didn’t think…well, you _did_ say you liked me.”

“I did,” Nick nodded. “So…do you want to go out some time? Cause I don’t know about you but I’m feeling incredibly awkward right now.”

“Oh, s-sure,” she felt her lips turn up, “I don’t mind. We could go for coffee or something.”

“Great,” he visibly relaxed and leaned back against the tub. “That’s great.”

They dwindled into a relatively comfortable silence until Judy let out a thoughtful hum.

Nick heard it, “What’s up, Fluff?”

“Considering we just had sex in a tub…maybe I’m not as lady-like as I thought,” she admitted.

“You could’ve done worse,” he replied. “Remember, this could’ve been a library.”

Judy chuckled, “At least we locked the door.”

“Yeah, at least we locked the door. And I’ll say it again-” he waved his fingers dramatically-“it’s magic.”


	6. A Regular Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to move all my requests and one shots from Ff.net to here^^.
> 
> Here we have Nick and Judy having a regular work day.

It was an average morning, the temperature was mild, it was a Tuesday, and Nick was walking into the precinct, clad in his blue uniform and carrying cups of Stagbucks coffee and Donkin Donuts.

When he entered the building he was greeted by the sight of his partner and best friend Judy Hopps talking with Clawhauser, the cheetah sitting behind his desk and not looking as perky as he usually did. Nick smirked at the two before clearing his throat loudly, speaking up as he walked toward them, “Carrots, Spots! Wilde is here. What are your _other_ two wishes?”

Clawhauser immediately brightened, his face splitting into a gigantic grin as he spotted the box of pastry treats, “Donuts!” he answered.

“Coffee,” Judy added, smiling warmly at the fox.

Nick snorted as he handed the food and beverages out, “Those came _with_ me, it’s like a package deal.”

Judy took a sip from the coffee and let out a heavenly sigh, “Just what I needed.”

Clawhauser was already stuffing numerous donuts into his mouth, the bliss in his chocolaty brown eyes a big enough thank you for Nick. He guzzled from his own cup of coffee.

“Drink as much as you can,” Judy told him, holding her own cup between both her paws.

“You’ll need it.”

He lifted a brow as he looked down at her, “Do we?”

She nodded, her violet eyes shining with excitement, “Bogo just told me, you and I are going on a stake out.”

Nick’s smile instantly drooped, “Carrots that hardly requires chugging caffeine. All we’ll be doing is sitting in the car staring at stuff.”

“Oh come on, Nick,” she playfully nudged his shoulder, “We might get into an exciting car chase across Zootopia!”

He huffed in amusement but didn’t say anything. Nick had been a ZPD officer for close to a year now, they had gone to numerous stake outs and not one had lead to anything nearly as thrilling as a car chase.

“Hopps! Wilde!” Bogo’s booming voice nearly had Nick dropping his coffee. The buffalo was on the second floor, and indicating to them to head to his office. The two partners tossed their coffee cups into a nearby trash bin. “See you later, Clawhauser,” Judy called. She grabbed Nick’s paw and nearly dragged him away, the fox saluted the cheetah goodbye.

Clawhauser sighed dreamily as he watched the two go, Judy nearly hopping in place because she was always so excited for any assignment (as long as it wasn’t parking duty) and Nick watching her with his signature half lidded eyes, the green depths warm as he gazed at the rabbit. Clawhauser wished he could find someone who looked at him the way Nick looked at Judy.

.

An hour or so later the rabbit and fox found themselves in their car, parked in a corner of Savanna Central, waiting. Out of a apartment complex was suppose to come a mole that was a suspect jewel smuggler, the two had to keep an eye out for him and if he went anywhere they were suppose to subtly tail him.

But until then Nick would pass the time complaining, “Look, Carrots, we’re sitting here staring at stuff. Isn’t this exciting, I can barely keep up with it all. Wish I had injected caffeine straight into my blood stream.”

“Oh no need to hold back that sarcasm Nick, let it all out,” she replied drolly. Her feet were perched on the steering wheel, ankles crossed as she lazily watched the passerby. Nick had his seat all the way back, aviators on and his paws resting on his stomach, if not for his talking Judy would’ve assumed he fell asleep. “It could be worse,” she stated, “We could be stuck on parking duty.” She shuddered at just the thought.

“I could never be so lucky,” Nick muttered, he for one hadn’t been assigned to parking duty yet, determined to stick like glue to Judy who took extra measures not to have to wear that vest again.

Judy looked at him with open shock, “Are you saying you’d really rather give out parking tickets all day?”

“Are you kidding?” Nick put his seat back up and placed his aviators on top of his head.

He smiled at her, “Making strangers give me money because they were five seconds away from getting out of a parking space? That’s the dream, Fluff.”

“You don’t _get_ their money, Nick,” Judy informed him. “They have to pay traffic court.”

“Yes, but it’s because of me so it counts,” Nick replied. “The point is I get to ruin someone’s day and that would be too much fun.”

Judy couldn’t help a chuckle, “You’re so evil.”

He shrugged easily, a half grin in place, “You know what they say. Foxes are red because they’re made by the devil.”

“Stop,” Judy pushed his shoulder. Nick had gotten the phrase when he had eavesdropped on one of Judy’s weekly family calls, she had mentioned Nick and her Pop Pop had overheard and was quick to warn Judy of the sinful red demons. She had quickly hung up, mortified and scared Nick would be offended, but he had only laughed it off, saying he had heard worse.

The two leaned back against their seats and watched life playing around outside the car, Judy’s eyes on the apartment building, waiting for the mole to show up. Nick suddenly spoke up, “Carrots, wanna play a game?”

She glanced at him, “What kind of game?”

“Let’s imagine what all these everyday animals are up to,” he said. He pointed a finger at an antelope who was drinking from a juice bottle, decked out in jogging clothes, “Bet you that guy just got back from the gym. He’s also trying to impressive a pretty lady antelope at said gym but a part of him misses how he used to veg out in front of the TV watching Breaking Baaad.”

“What makes you think he misses the unhealthy life style,” Judy asked.

“Because that brand of juice he was drinking had way too much sugar to be considered healthy. If he didn’t miss it he’d be drinking water.” He looked at Judy, “Your turn.”

Judy examined the mammals walking across the streets and crossing the road, she indicated to a lioness who looked to be wearing expensive, designer clothes, “I bet she’s having an affair.”

Nick flinched, “Wow, Carrots. Cut right to the chase. Now why is she having an affair?”

“Well, she was wearing a wedding ring but I’m pretty sure I saw smudges on it, which means she takes it off a lot. Why do that unless you don’t want your lover to know you’re married?”

“Maybe she likes washing dishes,” Nick offered.

But the rabbit was already shaking her head, “Look at how nice her claws are, and the way she dresses, she’s rich enough to afford a house maid to do all that for her. And then there’s the look in her eyes.”

Nick looked toward the lioness but she had already vanished out of sight, he looked down at Judy, “The look in her eyes?”

“It’s more of just my gut instinct,” she admitted. “But she had a secretive look in her eyes, and she was looking all around herself like she expected someone to be following her. I bet she’s on her way to her secret lover right now.”

“That or she shot someone,” he replied. His eyes turned to the apartment and saw a harried looking mother pig walk out of said building with two squirming piglets in her arms. Nick smirked at the sight, “I’m thinking either single mother or husband who likes work more than raising kids.”

Judy looked at the mother as she hailed a cab, “…I’m kind of jealous of her.”

Nick gave the bunny a funny look that his lips curling, “And you think I’m weird wanting to try out parking duty. Why would you want to be like that pig, exhausted with kids screaming in her ears and no mate around to help her take care of them.”

“It’s not that I want _that_ specifically,” Judy explained. “I’d just like to have kids. One day.”

Nick looked at her for a moment he opened his mouth to say something but then Judy was sitting up straight, a smile splitting her face and fire lighting up her eyes. “There he is, Nick!”

He looked back at the building and saw said mole walking out, dressed in a casual suit as he too hailed a taxi. Judy was already pulling up the precinct on the radio, “Officer Hopps to ZPD I have spotted the suspect, do I pursue him?”

A moment later Clawhauser’s voice spoke up, “Chief wants you to tail him but be careful, don’t let him know.”

“Copy that,” Judy pulled the car into drive and followed after the cab, being careful to appear casual, that she was just an officer making a random morning run. Nick slipped his sunglasses back over his eyes; the aviators always gave him a sense of professionalism he didn’t always feel back at the precinct.

“He’s heading down Mane Street,” Judy told Clawhauser as they trailed the taxi. “He’s making a left…Ah, he’s stopping at…The Coconut Club.”

Judy let out a defeated sigh while Nick burst into laughter and Clawhauser squealed over the radio. “Wolfmeyer said the mole liked hanging out there and meeting future buyers. You two know what to do.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Judy turned the radio off and opened the vehicle’s door, Nick following after her. He opened the car’s trunk to reveal a box, opening it he pulled out two ear pieces and handed one to Judy. “Can you hear me, Spots?” Nick asked through the headpiece and the cheetah answered. “Loud and clear, Wolfmeyer and Francine are with me and ready to tell you what to do…Do you two have the outfits on?”

“Give us a moment,” Judy muttered, picking up her outfit and looking at it with open disdain. “For the record, whoever chose this outfit is the worst.”

.

A few minutes later the cops walked in completely incognito. Nick wearing a leather windbreaker complete with a white shirt and ripped jeans. Judy wore a purple glittery tank top that showed off her midriff and incredibly small shorts that basically showed all of her legs.

They fit in well with the club, none of the other mammals sparing them a second glance, too busy dancing and drinking and talking. But that didn’t stop Judy from practically burying herself against Nick’s side, her face pressed up against the arm she held between both her paws, degradation making the skin beneath her fur hot.

“Carrots,” Nick whispered to her, “Your fingers are digging into my arm kinda hard there. Trying to draw blood?”

“Sorry,” she replied, relaxing her grip but not letting go or stepped away.

She missed the way Nick smirked at her, “So I guess our cover is a dating couple out for a night on the town.”

“Sure,” she muffled through the leather of his jacket. Nick led her to the bar and made to order something but decided both Bogo and Judy wouldn’t appreciate him drinking on duty even if it fit their cover.

He glanced around the crowd, figuring the mole would be sitting in a chair or table so as not to get accidentally stepped on. He glanced down at Judy who still had her face smothered into his jacket. For a moment he wondered what the other animals in the club thought of the sight, they probably assumed Judy just really, really liked the musk of fox.

“See him yet?” Clawhauser’s voice spoke up in Nick’s ear.

“Not yet,” the fox said, then glared at Judy, “Come on, Carrots. Help me look.”

“I can’t…” she moaned.

“It’s not that bad,” Nick stated but couldn’t help checking her out. “In fact, to me it looks like Christmas came ear-OW!” He let out a yelp as Judy viciously pinched his arm. A few of the other mammals at the bar gave him weird looks but didn’t say anything.

“Hopps,” Wolfmeyer’s burr came through their earpieces. “If you can’t do this odds are old chief will put you on parking duty.” Clawhauser and Francine voiced their agreement.

Judy looked up at Nick with a pained expression. Pity washed over him and he rubbed the back of her head soothingly, “It’ll be okay. No one’s going to bother you.” _If they do I’ll kill them_.

After a moment Judy forced up her resolve and nodded, she looked around the club, ears erect and twitching this way and that. “I can’t see him. Maybe if we go farther in.”

Nick studied the dancing mass before them, “We’re not going to be able to _walk_ through that.”

“I know,” Judy looked up at him. “Can you dance?”

His brow rose, “Can _you_?”

Judy smirked and a challenge glinted in her eye. She grabbed Nick’s wrist and dragged him into the throng before he could blink.

“If I didn’t know any better,” Nick grinned as they shimmied through the crowd, “I’d think you _wanted_ to dance with me.”

Her ears were a little flushed as she answered, “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been curious to see how you move.”

“Wait!” Clawhauser gasped loudly, making Nick flinch. “You guys _are_ dancing?! I thought you were just joking!”

“If you keep screaming I’m turning this off,” Nick growled.

Judy added, “It is a little unprofessional to keep talking like this, Clawhauser.”

The cheetah must have taken the words to heart because the headpieces remained blissfully quiet, leaving Nick and Judy to hear the music; it was loud and vibrated through their bodies. Leaving them to hold paws, enjoying the contrast of each other, Nick’s coarse fur and Judy’s sleek coat, leaving them to move their paws around, circling and spinning, more than once they ended up bumping into each other, laughing as they felt their beating hearts against each others’ chest.

All too soon Nick saw who they were looking for, the finely dressed mole was sitting in a roped off area, saying something to a mean-looking jaguar. Nick held Judy’s waist, careful not to touch her exposed stomach, “Target sighted,” he breathed.

Judy glanced from the corner of her eye at the mole as the jaguar walked off, heading toward a set of stairs.

“He was talking to a suspicious looking jaguar,” Judy muttered. “What should we do?”

“One of you need to get close to the mole,” this time it was Francine’s voice. “The other can follow the jaguar.”

“You mean split up?” Nick asked in disbelief.

“Yes, but don’t engage,” Clawhauser’s voice returned. “Just try to worm some information out of them.”

Judy looked up at Nick, “I call the jaguar.”

“No,” Nick said, refusing to let Judy do that without him and without a weapon. “ _I_ call the jaguar.”

Judy held up her paws, “Rock paper scissors for it?”

They did and Nick won, much to Judy’s chagrin (“Best two out of three?”) and she was sent off to talk to the mole, Nick headed upstairs.

Judy headed off to the mole while Nick disappeared upstairs; she hoped the fox would be alright. Stepped closer to the rope and the warthog standing guard she made sure to make her steps less coordinated, made her body sway a bit as she got closer and closer.

“Only VIM get through,” the warthog told her gruffly.

“Oops, sorry,” Judy giggled, placing her paws over her mouth. “I just kinda lost my table, got turned around. Happens, you know?”

The mole who had been sipping from a small shot glass took notice of Judy and she continued, daring to lean her elbows against the velvet rope, “Hi,” she called to the mole, trying for a welcoming smile but making sure she still looked tipsy.

The warthog moved to push her away but then the mole spoke up, “Let her through.” Judy walked past the warthog with a smug grin, kneeling before the large couch, her arms resting on the cushion, the mole sat on, making sure she was at eye level with the rodent.

“Thanks,” she purred with a flirty smile, leaning her head against her arms. “That was real sweet of you.”

The mole grinned, looking Judy up and down, his eyes resting on her bare stomach far longer than the rabbit was comfortable with. “Pleasure’s all mine, darling,” he said in a voice that tried to sound slick but only came out as nasally. “What’s your name?”

“Bonnie,” Judy said the first name that came to her head.

“Well, Bonnie,” the mole smiled, “The name is Edgar. Now tell me what’s a pretty thing like you doing all alone?”

Judy let out a pathetic sigh, blowing away the ear that had slumped across her face, “I was _hoping_ to meet a nice guy at this club but turns out no one is interesting in a plain little old bunny.”

“I wouldn’t call you plain,” the mole said. “And didn’t I just see you dancing with some scruffy fox?”

“Oh, him?” Judy put a warble in her voice. “He just tried to get his way with me. He didn’t _care_!” She turned her big shining eyes onto the jewel smuggler. “No one cares…”

“ _I_ care,” Edgar stated firmly and Judy wanted to laugh. Some males had such one track minds. “That fox looked like the sleazy type who wouldn’t appreciate a lady like yourself.”

Judy smirked, “You’re so sweet. I bet you know how to get an animal’s attention.”

The mole shrugged, “Lot’s of ways, outfits, cars, jewels, talent…”

“Jewels?” Judy breathed. “You think that would work?”

“Of course,” he replied easily, “Jewels that sparkle just like your eyes.”

Judy was surprised this mole hadn’t been caught already; she leaned forward and let her finger trail down his minuscule arm, “What kind of jewels?”

.

Meanwhile Nick had snuck up the stairs, following the jaguar down the hall, keeping close to the wall as he did so. The jaguar turned a corner and Nick peeked out from behind it, seeing the jaguar talking to a smoking warthog.

“My cousin being a good bodyguard for the rat?” he asked, smoke drifting from his mouth.

“It’s hardly needed,” the jaguar stated. “It’s not like anyone knows what the mole’s up to.”

The warthog shrugged, “Let him do what he wants, we’re going to get our payday in a matter of hours.”

Nick’s eyes widened and he stepped forward…only for the floor to creak underneath him. The jaguar and warthog whirled around, spotting the fox and narrowing their eyes on him.

 _Well I apparently suck at stealth_ , Nick thought bitterly to himself. _Then again, we all_ _have our bad days_.

He flashed an easy grin, “Boys…would you go along with me if I said you were under arrest?”

The jaguar released a hiss of recognition, “I know him! He’s that fox cop!” The two ran toward Nick and he braced himself to be attacked but instead the two ran right past him. Nick would be lying if it didn’t feel good that two larger animals were too scared to face him in a scuffle. But then he remembered that they were suspects who just ran off and he quickly gave chase, pulling his badge out as he did so.

“Stop!” he yelled out, “Stop in the name of the law!” The two didn’t even hesitate as they dashed down the stairs and pushed their way through the crowd. Nick caught Judy at the edge of his vision before the jaguar called out, “Cops! Run!”

The warthog bodyguard bolted as did a few dancers of the club who apparently didn’t have clean paws. He saw the mole made to run but Judy pinned him down with her paws, her badge already out and flashing it before the rodent.

Nick tried to make his way out of the crowd, most of the mammals much larger than him and taking up more space. But finally he managed to duck between legs and avoid sweeping tails to reach the door of the Coconut Club and burst out onto the street. The jaguar and warthogs were long gone.

Nick took a moment to catch his breath, during that time Judy followed him outside, the squirming mole held between her paws. At least they managed to catch their objective.

“Got the jewel smuggler,” Nick spoke into his headpiece, “Bringing him in for questioning.”

.

They were back at the precinct in a interrogation room, Judy and Nick standing before a table, across from them sat the annoyed looking Edgar. The two cops had already gotten his nerves on edge on the drive home; Nick kept showing Judy with cheesy compliments that had the bunny laughing. 

“So,” Nick turned his back to the mole to whisper into Judy’s ear, “Good cop or bad cop?”

“I’ll take bad cop,” she answered. “I don’t think he’ll fall for my feminine wills a second time.”

Nick nodded before taking the seat before them and resting his elbows on the table, trying to appear open and friendly while Judy stepped back and crossed her arms, doing her best to appear intimidating.

“We need some information, buddy,” Nick explained. “We need to know what kind of payday that jaguar and warthog were talking about.”

“I’m a mole not a rat,” Edgar replied stubbornly.

“I understand that,” Nick continued easily. “But I also understand that Officer Hopps over there had a recorder on her while you were telling her about all those great big jewels you could get her.”

The mole’s eyes widened in alarm, “That’s a lie!”

Nick shook his head slowly, “Oh no, pal. You’re going to jail. But depending on your cooperation skills we might be able to at least get you into a nice cell, perhaps even an early parole? I’m a fox we have our ways.”

Edgar snorted, “Exactly, you’re a fox. Like I’d believe anything you say.”

Nick nodded understandingly, “I get it, I’m not speaking your language. Maybe Officer Hopps can?”

Judy sauntered around the table to stand before the mole who looked at her defiantly. With one paw the rabbit lifted the mole up in the air by his collar, “WHERE IS THE DROP OFF!?”

“W-What?” the mole stammered his face morphing into one of panic as the rabbit screamed in his face.

Judy pinned him down onto the table, “THE JEWELS! THERE HAS TO BE A DROP OFF FOR THE JAGUAR AND HIS FRIENDS TO GET THE JEWELS _WHERE IS IT_!?”

“Stop screaming at me!” the mole begged desperately.

“I WILL WHEN YOU TELL ME WHERE THE DROP OFF IS!!” The mole looked beseechingly at Nick who had leaned back against his seat to enjoy the show.

“I’ll talk to you _you’re_ not insane!”

“ _Me_?” Nick placed his paw over his heart with an expression of mocking astonishment, “But I’m a no good distrustful scoundrel of a fox. Why talk to me when you can be talking to that sweet, quiet, meek little rabbit right there?”

Judy placed pressure on the jewel smuggler’s chest and he panicked, “Please stop! I don’t know where they are!”

“Now look who’s lying,” Nick smiled up at the rabbit. “Carrots, do you like it when animals lie?”

“No,” she growled, her voice low and threatening. “I might have to use the Binky.”

Nick gasped in horror, “No! Not the _Binky_!”

“Wait-what!?” Edgar looked between the two mammals. “What’s the Binky!?”

“One of the most excruciating of torture techniques,” Nick informed him. “If I were you I’d go ahead and spill the beans while you can still talk.”

“You can’t use torture techniques you’re cops!” the mole snapped but his eyes still flashed with fear.

“But we’re also a rogue fox and a mad rabbit,” Nick pointed out. “So maybe you should…” his voice trailed off as Judy lifted her paw, making a pinching motion with her fingers while her violet eyes glowed with a feral light. Her paw moved toward the mole.

“OKAY, OKAY!” he finally screeched. “Tundra Town! I hid all the jewels I smuggle in an abandoned warehouse in Tundra Town, right next to Kozlov’s Palace, you can’t miss it, that’s where they’ll be, please don’t use the Binky on me!!!”

Nick smirked and looked at Judy, “Good girl. That’ll do.”

Judy smiled proudly at Nick, releasing the now openly sobbing mole.

.

Nick let out a grateful sigh as he fell onto his office chair, his feet aching and his mind mushy. Bogo had sent some of his burlier officers to Tundra Town who had rounded up Edgar’s buddies and the stolen jewels easily. The grouchy buffalo had even told them they had done an adequate job, to which Judy had beamed with all the pride of winning the Olympics and Nick had gushed, “Thanks, Dad” before he scowled and shooed them to their desks.

Judy had relaxed on her chair as well, but only for a few moments before she started her computer up to get some paperwork done.

Nick looked at her with an exasperated smile, “Where do you find the energy?”

“Huh?” she pulled her eyes from the screen to look at him.

“We just spent all day staking out, going to a club, dancing, catching a jewel smuggler and then interrogating said jewel smuggler and now you want to do _paperwork_? I’m friends with the Energy Bunny.”

She giggled, “I’ve always been like this, ask my parents.”

Nick laid his arms across his desk before propping his chin on his arm, letting out a tired huff. He would do his paperwork when he had absolutely no choice.

“…Carrots,” he spoke up after a few minutes, the only sound Judy’s typing.

“Hm?” she asked, not looking away from the computer screen.

“I need my ear therapy.”

The typing stopped and Judy looked at the fox, “You don’t _need_ it you just want it.”

He pulled on his puppy dog face, “Please?”

She sighed in resignation and let her ears droop, “Go ahead. But only for a few minutes.”

Nick grinned and reached his paw out to caress one of Judy’s ears, he utterly adored how soft and velvety the bunny’s ears were, he’d pet them all day if she let him.

“Feeling better?” she asked. She had gone back to typing but the fox could see how she was fighting back a smile.

“Much,” Nick replied with a heavenly sigh, running his thumb in circles near the tip. “Today was exhausting.”

Judy shrugged and glanced at the fox, no longer fighting back her smile. “It was just a regular day.”


	7. Paper Thin Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Commssioned by misterparanoia
> 
> Co-ed dorm with too thin walls.

“You tell her,” Finnick said, his runty body sprawled over his bed, a tooth pick between his fangs.

“How about _you_ tell her?” Nick offered, sitting in his desk and looking over his textbook.

“How about you go over and tell her why you keep saying no?” Finnick wondered gruffly. “Or buy me ear muffs, either or.”

            The two fox roommates were speaking of their dorm neighbors next door, specifically one. A rabbit named Judy Hopps who had, for some reason Nick didn’t know, fallen head over heels for the red fox.

She was a year behind him and moved in that semester, she and a shrew that smelled like money. It was her loud voice that had Nick sticking his head out of his room that day, he and Finnick having been in their dorm since their freshman year. But sticking his head out had startled a smaller mammals whose arms were full of boxes and with a yelp the stranger and boxes fell, reveling the mammal as a bunny with gray fur and violet eyes.

 Nick let out a soft curse and dropped to his knees beside her, “Sorry about that didn’t see you.”

The girl reached for the nearest box and put it under her arm, not giving Nick a glance, “It’s fine, just an accident. I shouldn’t have carried so much at one time.”

 “Here I’ll help you,” Nick replied, picking up the largest box and forcing himself not to grunt with the effort. What was she carrying-bricks?

“Thanks so much!” She grabbed the other box with her free arm and walked ahead, Nick following after and wondering if those boxes were as heavy as the one they carried.

“Oh,” his ears twitched when he saw she stopped at the door next to his own. The rabbit, not learning her lesson, balanced the boxes in one arm while she lifted her paw to open the door. “We’re neighbors.”

 She finally looked up at the fox, pulling her head back to smile at Nick who was directly behind her, “Yeah, we-” For less than a second her face changed into an expression Nick didn’t have a chance to decipher before her balance wavered. Panicked and arms full Nick lifted his foot and pressed it against the small of her back, keeping her on her feet.

“Sorry,” she choked, her voice cracking as she pushed the door open. She cleared her throat, “Fru Fru, I got the rest of the boxes.”

“Why did you close the door?” a shrew stood in the middle of the room, tiny paws on tiny hips and looking put out. “I couldn’t open it on my own, I was stuck in here.”

“Sorry,” the rabbit apologized, much calmer now. “I wanted to hurry and get the last of the boxes.”

The shrew, Fru Fru, opened her mouth to respond but closed her jaw when Judy stepped aside and she caught a sigh to of Nick. “Who are _you_?”

“Oh, I’m Nick.” He placed the box on the floor next to the ones the rabbit had placed on the floor. “I live right next door.”

 “Oh,” Fru Fru replied and Nick didn’t know if he liked the way she said that.

He flexed his fingers to shake the ache from them. The rabbit stepped toward him and offered her paw, “I’m Judy Hopps.”

“Nick Wilde,” he replied, her paw disappearing inside his. “Welcome to the dorm you two. Enjoy your stay.” He turned on his heel and left just as the rabbit let out a fumbled goodbye.

            For the rest of the week he saw her in passerby, throwing him a smile and a greeting before vanishing inside her room. At one point he and Finnick were heading back to their room with bug burger in paw when they caught Judy heading off to her class.

 “Oh, hi, Nick,” she had smiled. Nick, currently having an intense texting conversation with his mother nodded to her, just giving her a glance.

When she had vanished around the corner Nick let out a yelp when Finnick grabbed his arm, digging his claws into his roommate’s flesh. “OW! What- _What_!?” Nick ripped his arm away and glared at his friend who was giving him an incredulous look.

“Who was that?” he demanded, flailing his short arms.

Nick shrugged, “That’s our neighbor, Judy. So what?”

“So, she was giving you bedroom eyes while you told your mother how much you love her!”

Nick jolted in place, “Okay,” he pointed the phone at Finnick, “First off, don’t bring my mother into what I’m pretty sure is about to be an argument. Second, no, she was not giving me bedroom eyes.”

Finnick snorted, “You weren’t looking at her so you can’t say that. And between the two of us who’s actually went on dates, who here _actually_ has experience with girls.”

“I’ve had girlfriends, Finnick,” Nick reminded his friend as he stepped into their apartment, placing the greasy bag of food on his desk and relaxing into his chair.

 “Ah yeah, a whopping twice.” Finnick snarked, crawling onto his bed, “And wasn’t one of them a kleptomaniac?”

“I didn’t _know_ he stole that iPhone, Finnick!” Nick spoke with the annoyance that could tell a stranger they’ve had this conversation before. “And it’s not like the cops found your stash would you let it go!”

“I’m bringing it up on the next Wilde family reunion,” the fennec promised grimly. “Now what was I talking about? I had a point?”

“You think Judy has a crush on me,” Nick said, pulling the burger from the bag and digging in.

“No, I _know_ she does. And when she asks you out, I’m going to laugh. And I mean I’m going to laugh _hard_.”

            Three days later Judy knocked on their door and invited Nick to go get a cup of coffee. After he had politely said no and closed the door when she left Finnick had nearly fallen off his bed, holding his gut as raucous laughter nearly broke his jaw. And if his smugness wasn’t bad enough later that night while reading over his business text books he overheard the conversation next door.

“So how’d it go?” he heard Fru Fru’s squeaky voice.

Judy, who must have just returned home, could be heard sighing, “It could’ve gone better.”

“Did you make it obvious you were asking him out? Like, date asking him out?”

“I thought I did…”

            Nick gave his friend a horrified expression and Finnick looked to be biting his tongue to keep from laughing.

Nick was too embarrassed to tell the girls he could hear them, plus he didn’t want to be accused of eavesdropping. And Finnick just found the whole thing too hilarious to intervene. So for the next couple of weeks Judy continued to find ways to ask him out and without fail Nick politely but bluntly told her no. And then ended up listening to her metaphorically kick herself in her room while Fru Fru continued to encourage her.

 “She keeps asking cause you haven’t given her a good reason on why you say no,” Finnick replied. “And then you gotta go and be a gentleman and help her carry stuff or let her borrow text books. You even gave her money that one time so she could get a snack while she studied.” Finnick gave him an expectant look, “You’re kinda giving her mixed signals here, Wilde.”

 Nick leaned his chin against his knuckles and sighed, “I can’t date her.”

“We’ve established that, but I’m looking for the why here.”

“It’s because…who she is.”

 Finnick sat up and gave his friend a weird look, “You’re not attracted to rabbits?”

“No, no, I just don’t date if I can’t see us having a serious and committed relationship.” He whirled around in his chair to face his friend, “She’s going to be a cop.”

When Finnick didn’t respond Nick went on, “And…I’m a fox.”

“No, I know you’re a fox,” Finnick replied. “I just didn’t know you were an idiot.” Finnick looked around the room and ended up throwing pocket change at his friend that hit Nick’s tail. “Stop being an idiot this is the twenty first century.”

“Yeah but…” Nick trailed off, not sure what to say next.

But Finnick, despite calling his friend an idiot and throwing dimes, knew his friend. “The cop thing is an excuse; you’re just scared to start dating again.”

Nick ran his paw over the back of his neck, “You know how quickly attached I get to mammals.”

“I’m aware,” Finnick replied, “We’ve been friends for years, remember the time I had to console you when your Sims died?”

“Then why are you trying to get me to go out with her?” Nick demanded, hot under the collar from remembering that particular childhood memory.

“I’m not,” Finnick replied. “I just want you to tell her exactly _why_ so she can move on and stop talking about you. That, or be a jerk to her so she won’t keep getting your mixed signals.”

Nick didn’t think he could be mean to her, well, he could, but he stopped being a prick back in his high school years and didn’t want to bring those times back. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow,” he promised.

 

.

 

            It was raining the next morning. When Nick knocked on their neighbor’s door no one answered, which made the fox assume they already left for class. Shouldering his bag he headed off for class, he’d have to talk to Judy later.

But reaching the bottom floor where the dorm students often waited for buses, especially on rainy days like this. Sure enough a good-sized crowd was there, waiting for the bus to arrive. His ears perked up when he saw Judy at the back of the crowd, scrolling through her phone.

He stopped next to her and cleared his throat, “Hey, Judy.”

She was slightly startled, having not realized he was there, but quickly offered her trademark friendly smile. “Hello, Nick.” She took a step away from him and it made Nick’s insides twist. Was she feeling guilty about asking him out?

The bus arrived and mammals started to pile in, grumbling about upcoming tests and the lousy weather. “Sit with me?” Nick asked the rabbit and she nodded, looking vaguely suspicious although they’ve rode the bus together before.

 But this time Nick led her to the very back of the bus, away from the nosy ears of their college mates. “I actually wanted to talk to you,” he started after they had taken their seats and made themselves comfortable.

“Did you?” Judy immediately looked uncomfortable. “I-I guess I should talk to you too. I’ve been making you uncomfortable and it’s-”

“I have been uncomfortable,” Nick broke in. “But, that’s not really your fault.”

 He felt the violet eyes on him, “Your fault?”

“I’m not…” Nick swallowed, “I’m not into causal flings.”

“I see,” she replied, “Well, I wasn’t exactly looking for a causal fling anyway. I mean, sure I didn’t know you well at first but that’s why I wanted to get to know you. And now…”

Nick’s ear twitched, “Now?”

“I know you a little better,” she smiled softly. “You’re a nice fox and I definitely want to get to know you better. But…nice doesn’t mean romantic. I’m sorry, Nick I’m kinda ridiculous when it comes to relationships and the like.”

“You’re not alone,” he quickly assured her. “The reason I’ve been saying no is because I get incredibly clingy, foxes do that. And it makes breaking up harder.”

“Oh,” she said shortly. “Glad we both have our problems with this kind of stuff.”

            They dwindled off into silence, the rain and chatter of the bus offering background noise. They were almost to the college and once there Nick and Judy would go their separate ways to class and not see each until later that night. Nick did not want to wait that long.

He turned to her and the two spoke at the same time:

“I do think you’re pretty.”

“I do think we’d be a good match.”

They quickly broke eye contact, ears blazing red as they awkwardly cleared their throats. “Th-thank you,” Judith finally said, voice almost too soft to hear.

“No problem,” he mumbled. “And it’s…nice, to know you think I’d be worth it.”

 Judy turned to face him again, “I have an idea. Why don’t we get our roommates and we all go out to get something to eat? A group outing. Then we could get to know each other, and not worry about relationships or clinginess. We’ll be friends.”

 Nick offered his paw to her, “I like that idea. Finnick might hate getting dragged out to a social outing but that just makes the idea even better.”

She showed off her teeth in a delighted smile, taking his paw and shaking it. But there was a niggling in the back of Nick’s head, a voice-one of reason he assumed, whispering in his ear: _Oh buddy, you are gonna fall_ hard _for this bunny_.


	8. Draw Me like One of Your Farm Girls

Judy sat in her college’s art room, surrounded by empty tables, paint, unfinished portraits, clay and sculptures that needed some finishing touches surrounded her. The large windows showing the evening sky and Judy knew everyone else was out enjoying the Friday, she had recalled hearing about a frat party.

But not her.

Judy was sitting cross-legged on a stool, her sketchpad on her lap and a pencil in her paw. She wanted to draw, _needed_ to draw; needed the practice for an upcoming test.

But nothing she drew turned out good, she tried landscapes, tried self-portraits, tried cartoons, nothing satisfied her.

Judy was about to give up with a heavy heart and head back to her dorm when a familiar voice rang through the hall.

“NEAR! FAR! _WHEREVVVEEEERRR_ YOU ARE!!!”

The door burst open and in walked her associate-kind-of-friend Nick Wilde, staggering slightly and probably having a few beers in him.

He continued to sing off-key, “MY HEART WILL GO ON!!!”

“Were you watching Titanic?” Judy asked the obvious.

Nick flopped onto a nearby chair, “Yes, and it was an emotional adventure I don’t know if I could handle watching again.” He glanced at her, “Hey, Carrots.”

She smirked at him, “Hey, Nick.”

“What are you doing in here?” he looked around the empty classroom.

She showed him her scribbles, “I wanted to practice some sketching but nothing I draw is any good.”

Nick flipped through the sketch pad but Judy doubted he was actually looking at the drawings. She decided to make small talk, “Why were you watching Titanic? I thought you went to that party.”

“That’s where I watched it,” Nick said, still thumbing through her sketch pad. “I was looking for a bathroom and came across a bunch of weepy girls watching it so I decided to join them.”

“After having a few drinks, right?”

Nick gave her a cheeky grin and she chuckled.

When the fox handed her the sketch pad back Judy asked, “What do you think I should draw? I’m willing to draw _anything_ right now.”

Nick leaned back against his seat, his eyes on the ceiling as he thought.

A few seconds later he jolted in his seat letting out a shocked gasp that made Judy’s fur bristle. “W-what?”

“I got it!” Nick turned toward her, his smile ecstatic and his eyes still glassy with alcohol. “I know exactly what you can draw!”

“What?” Judy cocked her head to her side.

“First I need a bench,” Nick rushed into a storage room of the art class where the drama class had stored a wooden couch, the art class planning on painting it.

Judy watched in curious silence as he dragged the couch to her, the legs screeching against the tile floor.

“Uh…Nick?”

The fox released the couch and stood up straight, “You can draw me.”

She shrugged, “I guess I could, I got nothing else to-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”

Nick was pulling off his tie and undoing the buttons of his shirt with the tacky floral print, revealing a creamy furred chest.

“We’re going to pay homage to Jack and Rose,” Nick stated happily, sliding his shirt off his shoulders.

Judy held up her paw, covering her eyes from the sight and recalling what Jack and Rose had gotten up to on that ship. “H-How exactly are we going to do that?”

“You’re gonna draw me like one of your farm girls,” he stated happily, waving his tail back and forth.

That made Judy look at him, keeping her eyes on his face as he unbuckled his pants, her ears flushing red, “But you’re not a girl.”

“I’m just as pretty as one, now hop to it.” Nick sprawled himself out onto the couch, now completely nude and not bothered in the slightest.

Judy, still blushing, glanced nervously to the classroom door, “What if someone walks in?”

“It’s almost midnight we’re the only ones here,” Nick assured her, perfectly relaxed. “Now hurry and draw me, I wanna see!”

Judy found her paw, pencil between her fingers, moved toward her sketch pad and she was drawing the naked fox.

“This is the worse,” she huffed, keeping her eyes above his waist. “You’re the worse.”

“ _Once more_ ,” Nick absently sang, “ _You open the door-and you’re here in my heart._ ”

The rabbit rolled her eyes, working on his triangular ears, she could admit, so far, this was the best looking thing she’d drawn all day.

 _Not that_ Nick _is good-looking or anything_ , she told herself with a scowl.

“What’s up, Carrots,” Nick noticed her scowl.

“You’re making me draw you while you’re completely naked,” Judy quipped, “Pardon me if I’m not overjoyed.”

He snickered, “I dare say Carrots, you’re probably the only girl who isn’t happy in seeing me out of my pants.”

“Probably,” Judy agreed though her stomach twisted at the thought of all the girls Nick had no doubt been with.

Her pencil stilled when she finished his upper torso, not willing to look below his waist.

Nick took note that she had stopped drawing, “You finished?” His tail wagged.

Judy showed him the half finished portrait and he scowled, “Where’s my best feature?”

“I am not drawing that,” Judy said stiffly.

“Aw, come on, Carrots. Don’t be a prude! Besides, next semester you’ll be drawing nude models, might as well get some practice in.”

Judy squirmed in her seat, “ _Nick_ , this is _weird_.”

“Only if you make it weird, Fluff,” Nick shot back. “Besides, Jack and Rose barely flinched.”

“Yes because they planned to have sex later.”

Nick shrugged with a grin, “Well, if that’s what it’ll take…”

“Don’t you even!” Judy snapped.

“I’m just trying to make you feel comfortable,” he insisted.

“I’ll finish the stupid drawing just stop talking,” Judy growled angrily.

Nick made a show of zipping his lips before making himself more comfortable on the couch.

Finally, skin on fire and ears red, Judy’s eyes turned south, and she forced her pencil to move.

While she drew Judy tried to keep her mind on anything _but_ what she was drawing, desperately trying to keep her thoughts out of the gutter because she was a _lady_ damn it!

**I bet it’d be nice to straddle those hips.**

_Shut up, brain!_

**And having that tail wrapped around your bare legs? Oh boy.**

_I said shut up!_

**Go ahead and stare at Little Nick, it’s the only chance you’ll ever have.**

“Finished!” Judy threw the sketch pad at Nick’s chest, turning away in her seat and looking up at the ceiling.

“This is really good,” Nick said with drunken sincerity.

“You can keep it now put on your pants,” Judy replied.

“Really?”

“Yes, now put your pants on,” Judy repeated.

“Aw, Carrots! That’s so sweet!”

Judy glanced over her shoulder and jumped back in terror when Nick made to hug her. She nearly fell to the ground as she quickly backed away, “PUT YOUR PANTS ON!”

“I will but first I wanna hug my favorite rabbit,” Nick reached for her with outstretched arms.

“After you put on clothes!”

“That hurts, Carrots, you can only stand me when I’m not in the nude?”

“ _Yes_!”

But Nick still tried to grab at her and the next thing Judy knew she had grabbed some clay left next to one of the unfinished sculptures and flung it at the fox’s face, smacking him right in the jaw.

“Oh,” he said after a moment of silence, he rubbed off some of the clay, staring at it in his palm before turning to look at Judy with a grin. “So that’s how it’s going to be?”

.

“So you two just…fell into one of the clay sculptures in the art room?”

Finnick, having returned from the party but able to hold his liquor better than any other animal on earth, found the two in the hallway with their fur plastered in clay (Nick now fully dressed).

“Of course,” Judy laughed awkwardly, her ears still flushed, “What do you think happened, Finnick? That Nick took his clothes off and made me help him reenact the nude scene from the Titanic?”

“Or that we tried to reenact the clay molding scene from Ghost?” Nick offered, resting his elbow on top of Judy’s head, his sketch safely hiding in his back pocket.

Finnick looked suspiciously at Nick, then to Judy, then let out a relieved sigh: “Thank God I don’t care.”


	9. Fox of the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to chapter 8.

“Why are you following me?” Judy grumbled ears red and already positive it would be a terrible day.

It was next semester and today was the first day her art class would be drawing professional nude models.

And she had _just_ recovered from her _last_ nude drawing.

Speaking of, Nick was walking behind her, Finnick trailing after his friend with a displeased expression. “I’m trying to dissuade you from going to class today,” the red fox informed her primly.

“I have to draw the models they brought in or I won’t get the credit,” Judy grumpily replied.

“Then just draw _me_ again,” Nick insisted, making both Judy and Finnick groan.

The rabbit glanced over her shoulder at the fennec, “Why are you following?”

“I plan on strangling him to death if he tries to take his pants off,” was Finnick’s answer.

“He’s just mad cause I framed your art and put it on our wall,” Nick added.

Judy’s jaw dropped in horror, “You _framed_ it!?”

“And put it on our room’s wall,” Finnick growled. “Not even somewhere subtle he put it right where anyone walking in can see it.”

Judy buried her face in her paws as Nick spoke, “Excuse me but it hold a very important place in my heart and I’m proud of it, as should you be, Carrots.”

“Please stop talking,” Judy begged as they reached the closed door of the art room, she reached her paw out to open-right before Nick jumped in front of her, blocking the door with his body.

“Nicholas,” Judy hissed, “Don’t think I can’t throw you over my shoulder because I’m pretty positive I can.”

“As wonderful as that’d be, Carrots I’m still not going to move,” Nick replied, looking determined.

Judy glanced to Finnick who didn’t look like he knew what to do either. “I don’t get it,” the bunny demanded of Nick, “Why are you so against me seeing some nude models when I’ve already seen _you_ naked?”

Nick didn’t reply, but Judy was too busy trying to open the door to catch the way he looked almost flustered. “Move, Nick. I’m not going to lose my credit because of your weirdness.”

“Come on, Carrots, let’s think about-” before he could finish Judy pushed the door open and the fox tumbled into the classroom, landing on his back.

All eyes of the art room were on the three as Judy and Finnick walked in, not bothering to help Nick who was still sprawled on the floor. Judy looked toward the center of the room where the three models (currently in gray robes) waited. She was surprised to see one of them was a handsome rabbit with uncanny stripes. Said rabbit pulled his eyes away from Nick to look toward Judy and she offered a small wave, feeling her ears blush.

“Just in time Miss Hopps,” the art teacher called from her desk. “Class is just about to start.” She turned her eyes to Nick and Finnick, the former finally climbing onto his feet.

“We came here to observe,” Nick told her, “We’re thinking about taking a few art classes next year.”

By the look on the teacher’s face that was her worst nightmare but she didn’t shoo the two foxes away, instead standing up and starting to give instructions to the class. They would be split into three groups, each assigned to a specific model and Judy supposed she didn’t mind being assigned to the rabbit model, but by Nick’s expression he did as he followed Judy to her easel.

“Hello everyone,” the rabbit greeted the group politely but only a few returned the greeting, like Judy they weren’t completely comfortable with this assignment.

As the rabbit slid his robe off Judy’s vision suddenly turned black.

“Nick, what the hell?” Judy demanded, trying to push the fox’s paw away from her eyes. “I just realized this entire thing is indecent,” Nick stated, the model and the rest of the group staring at him. “Carrots, you should be ashamed, I thought you were a lady.”

Judy slammed her heel into Nick’s foot, making the fox yelp and jump back.

The rabbit model chuckled, “Your boyfriend’s not too comfortable with this, I presume.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Judy said, unable to hold back her spite. “He’s just an idiot.”

“Wound me physically and emotionally why don’t ya?” Nick replied, rubbing his sore foot. Over by the wall Finnick shook his head at his friend, looking the definition of disappointed.

Though the rabbit’s ears had pricked when he heard the ‘not my boyfriend’ line, “Well, to ease everyone’s mind this is completely professional. Just imagine I’m a statue or some such.”

Judy started on her portrait, as always starting at the head and making her way down, though she found she wasn’t nearly as flustered by this naked rabbit then she had been when Nick was in the nude.

Said fox was standing behind her, glaring at the drawing and Judy resisted the urge to step on his foot again.

“This isn’t as good as when you drew me,” Nick growled and Judy rolled her eyes.

“Actually I think it’s a million times better,” she smirked at him, “Of course that could have to do with him being a much more handsome model than my last one.”

Nick flinched and turned away from her, Judy’s lips turned down into a frown. She had only been joking. Why was the fox acting so weird today? Well, weird _er_.

Judy returned to her portrait, this model was handsome but she supposed he wasn’t as attractive as… She quickly shook her head, Nick was _not_ attractive!

Once the hour had passed the models covered themselves with their robes once again while the teacher examined each of her student’s portraits.

Judy stiffened when she saw the rabbit model walk over to look at her own drawing. She relaxed when he smiled, “From the way the fox was glaring I thought you had made me look quite haggish.”

“Heh,” Judy giggled a bit awkwardly. “No, he’s just weird.”

The model offered her his paw, “I’m Jack.”

Judy bit back a laugh as she shook his paw, “I’m Judy.”

“And _I’m_ Nick.”

The red fox appeared out of nowhere, resting his chin between Judy’s ears and placing his paws on her shoulders; Judy felt her ears flush and wondered if either Nick or Jack could notice.

But Judy _did_ notice the way Jack’s blue eyes glittered with interest when he looked up at Nick.

“Ah, yes,” he smiled, “You’re the very opinionated fox who’s thinking about taking art classes next year.”

“It’s crossed my mind a time or two,” Nick growled.

“Then I look forward to seeing you again, Nick,” Jack smiled and Judy could’ve sworn she saw the rabbit blush. She covered her mouth to hide her smile.

With a nod to Judy and a flirty wave to Nick Jack headed back to the other models and Nick finally released her shoulders to glare down at her.

“I don’t like him,” the fox muttered.

“Shame, because he likes you,” Judy smirked back.

“What?”

“Nothing, why don’t you like him? Because he was paid to be a nude model?”

Nick glared over at Jack, the rabbit noticed and winked, Nick’s eyes turned into green slits. “You don’t need to draw any more nude models do you?”

“Why does it bother you so much?” Judy demanded, her annoyance returning. “You had no problems with me drawing _you_ naked.”

“That’s different,” Nick replied, glancing to the side.

“ _How_?”

But instead of answering Nick shuffled away and out of the room, Finnick silently following after looking relieved that the taller fox hadn’t tried to unclothe himself, Judy watched them go while her foot thumped angrily against the tile floor.

.

That night Judy was doing some late night reading in the library when Finnick found her, “Have you seen Nick?”

Judy looked up from her book, “He’s missing?”

“I don’t know,” the fennec groaned and rubbed his paws over his snout. “I just know he’s been moody since your art class and stole some of my beers and ran out and now I can’t find him and I’m worried he’s going to end up getting run over or stuck on the dorm roof or something.”

Judy found herself closing her book even though she was still annoyed with the fox, “I’ll help you look. Two eyes are better than one.”

“I’ll check the right wing you check the left,” Finnick instructed and Judy nodded, walking out of the library and off to find the no doubt drunk fox.

She decided she might as well try the auditorium; Nick was a drama queen he’d feel at home there. Walking inside her ears caught the sound of off-key singing and she smirked at how easy this had been.

Nick was back stage, lying across a couch that would be used for next month’s play, beer in paw, but the strange thing was the fox had put on a stage costume, a dress that looked oddly familiar.

She spoke, “Rose?”

Nick stumbled off the couch, Judy’s voice having startled him. He sat up and looked around before his eyes landed on Judy, his ears fell back. “Oh, it’s you.”

She scowled, offended, “Yeah, it’s me. Finnick asked me to look for you, he said you were worried.”

“Where’s Jack?” Nick grumbled, standing up and wobbling to a makeup desk to place his beer can there.

“I thought I was Jack,” Judy pointed to herself, “Since your Rose.”

“No, I met that other Jack, the model,” Nick bared his teeth. “I figured you’d be reenacting the nude titanic scene with _him_.”

“Oh my God,” Judy’s jaw dropped as she came to a realization. She burst into laughter, startling Nick as she held her stomach, tears coming to her eyes. “You’re _jealous_!”

Nick’s ears flared red, “I am not!”

“Yes, you are!” Judy couldn’t stop laughing, “That’s why you were acting all weird today, Nicholas Piberius Wilde wanted to be the only boy Judith Laverne Hopps saw naked.” She rubbed the tears out of her eyes, “I’m almost tempted to go pay a guy to take his pants off for me.”

Upon seeing Nick’s horrified expression she laughed again, “But I won’t! Is that why you’re dressed up as rose?”

Nick held the skirt between his paws, “I was reminiscing of the memories. I told you, Carrots, we’ll always have titanic.”

“I guess we will,” Judy admitted, her annoyance officially gone now that she knew the reason for Nick’s bizarre behavior. But the fox still looked a bit down, Judy looked around the backstage and an idea formed in her head.

“Hey, Nick,” she smiled at the fox, “Wanna do something fun?”

“Yes,” the fox said immediately and Judy had to chuckle again cause clearly he was thinking of a different kind of fun than what she had planned.

Judy ran over to a chest of random props, finding small little pickets she quickly grabbed them and ran to a table that had a fan, fixing them before the device.

“Carrots?” Nick questioned as Judy grabbed a chair and placed it before the table. She then walked over and grabbed Nick’s paw, pulling him in front of the table, his back facing the chair.

“What are you doing?”

“You’re gonna be the fox of the world,” she grinned, flipping the fan’s switch on. Nick broke into an open mouthed grin as the fan blew across his fur. Judy climbed up onto the chair and placed her paws on his hips.

“Ah!” Nick squealed ecstatically, still very much sloshed. He stretched his arms and out and closed his eyes, his expression becoming blissful.

“I’M FLYING!”

Judy laughed again, “Come, Josephine, my flying machine, going up, she goes up, she goes.”

Nick snickered in return and Judy found herself snuggling into his shoulder while he started singing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ yet again. Maybe…Nick wasn’t _that_ bad looking and maybe…it made her happy that he got jealous over her.

“Wasn’t it around this scene that Jack and Rose shared their first kiss?” Judy lifted her head to ask the fox.

Nick looked at her over his shoulder, his green cheeky, “I’d be happy to fast forward to that car scene if you like.”

Judy smiled at him then decided to throw caution to the wind and raised herself onto her tiptoes and kissed him.

Nick turned around and wrapped his arms around her, deepening the kiss which slightly surprised the bunny.

Finally she pulled back having to hold Nick’s head between her paws when he went in for another kiss, “Baby steps, Rose. Baby steps.”

But Nick only grinned wider, “You’re such a tease, Jack.”


	10. I'm Not A Preyo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Nick professionally dances at a club and Judy is a very open predo. Based off a fan comic of a completely different fandom that will remain unnamed get off my back. NSFW-ish.

Judy sat down at the bar, the sloth bartender, Flash, offering an eventual welcoming smile. “Hello…Judy…long…time…no…see.”

“Yeah,” Judy rubbed at the dark circles under her eyes. “Work has been crazy, mountains and mountains of paperwork.”

“That’s all you’ve been doing?” the make up artist of the club’s dancers, Clawhauser, asked with concern. The chubby cheetah was sitting on the stool next to Judy and drinking a chocolate milkshake (the only employee of the club to not drink alcohol).

“Weren’t you suppose to be catching baddies and stuff when you became a police officer.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Judy said bitterly as Flash offered her the usual. She took a large swig of the tequila flavored with a slice of carrot. “But at least now I finally got myself a break.”

With the rim of the glass pressed against her lips Judy looked around the club, taking note of how it was more crowded than usual, and there were a lot more females than regular. “What’s going on, Clawhauser?” she asked the cheetah. “This place is packed.”

“Oh that’s right, you don’t know,” the cheetah his smile behind a paw, his brown eyes glittering with playfulness. “We hired a new dancer.”

Judy let out an uninterested hum, still staring at the excited crowd. Clawhauser went on, “He’s really good, and became super popular almost over night we made him a main dancer.”

Judy’s ears pricked up as the curtains of the stage pulled back and the crowd let out an appreciative cheer. “Here he is now!” Clawhauser cheered, but Judy was no longer listening to the feline. Her eyes were on the stage where a fox had suddenly appeared. She watched in silenced awe as he moved to the sensual music, twisting his hips and wagging his tail. He moved around the stage with ease, waving his paws through the air and over his fur and Judy could only stare with wide eyes.

At one point his emerald glaze glanced toward the bar, and for just a second their eyes met and Judy swallowed as heat pooled south.

When the song was over he easily slipped behind the curtains with a flirty grin and wave to his adoring crowd and then Judy was frantically smacking at Clawhauser’s arm.

“Ben, Ben, Ben,” she spoke frenetically. “Who is that?”

Clawhauser chuckled, recognizing the look on his friend’s face, “Crushing on him so soon?”

“Why _wouldn’t_ I,” she asked ecstatically, hopping in her seat. “Did you see him? He’s _perfect_! Exactly what I’m looking for!”

“Clawhauser!”

Judy’s smile grew as she saw the fox, still in his white top and wonderfully too tight black pants, walked over to the cheetah, showing off his white fangs with a grin that nearly made the bunny whimper.

“How’d I do?” he asked the cheetah.

“You were great,” the cheetah purred. “Oh, Nick, let me introduce you to a friend of mine. This is Judy Hopps, the first bunny officer of the ZPD.”

“A bunny cop, eh?” Nick grinned at her, his eyes checking her over and the heat turned smoldering.

Judy quickly shot a paw out, “You were _amazing_.”

“Thanks,” he replied easily, giving her a paw a shake that ended much too quickly. “I should get back to change.”

“What’s your rush?” Judy asked, trying to appear as friendly and inviting as possible. “Let me buy you a drink.”

Nick looked at her then glanced at Clawhauser as if he needed permission, the cheetah waved his paw at the two before slipping off the stool and away into the crowd. Nick shrugged and took the stool Clawhauser had occupied, ordering a martini.

“So,” Judy began, “You’re pretty talented for a beginner.”

He watched her over the rim of his glass, his green eyes nearly glowing in the dim club, “Who says I’m a beginner? I’ve been dancing since before I was your age.”

“How old are you?”

“Thirty two.”

“Really?” Judy’s ears shot up, “You don’t look it.” Personally she found older mammals quite attractive, not that the fox needed any help at the moment.

“Thanks,” he took it as a compliment, “But I’ve been dancing for clubs for a while, best way to get noticed by places like Boarway.”

“That’s really neat,” Judy smiled, imagining how flexible the fox was behind closed doors. “I’m sure you’ll get it soon.”

Nick huffed in disbelief, his eyes bitter for a second before he took another sip, “Here’s hoping.”

“Anyway,” Judy began in a casual tone, “Do you have any plans later tonight? I’m free; maybe we could go out for a late dinner or something.”

Nick looked at her, this time with pity, “Oh, sweetheart.”

“What?” the pitying tone made her chest swell with defense.

The fox placed his cup down and ran his claws over his muzzle, “I didn’t think you’d be that straightforward.” He turned in his seat to face her, “How do I put this? I’m not…not a preyo. I have nothing against it, but partners with flat teeth and blunt nails aren’t for me.”

“Oh,” Judy tried to squelch her instant disappointment with a careless shrug, “Can’t win them all.”

But the fox still looked uncomfortable as if he could _smell_ her disappointment (with a moment of horror she realized he had probably smelled her arousal). He slipped off the stool and placed the empty glass down, “Thanks for the drink, though.”

“No problem,” she replied quietly, her ears falling across her back and giving herself away.

Nick apparently took pity and leaned forward, his lips pressed against her ear, making the velvety appendages shoot up like a pair of rockets. “Don’t be so discouraged,” he eased, “Come watch me dance tomorrow.” He pulled back with a wink, “I don’t mind being looked at.” And then he was striding away, his tail swishing back and forth.

Judy’s head fell down onto the counter, “Damn it,” she muttered angrily. “Why couldn’t he at least be a little curious?”

.

The next day Judy finished her work early, hurrying back to the club with purpose and rage. She found Clawhauser back stage and nearly strangled the cheetah.

“Why didn’t you say anything!?” she snapped at the feline, glaring furiously at him.

Clawhauser shrugged apologetically, his smile guilty, “I-uh, didn’t think it mattered.”

“Didn’t think it mattered? I humiliated myself in front of him! Why couldn’t you have just said: “Btw, Jude, the fox isn’t interested in rabbits.”

“Maybe you can change his mind,” Clawhauser offered with a mischievous wink. But Judy only glared at him, “I’m not going to try and change his preferences, I don’t have the right.”

Just then a loud yawn entered the room, “Morning.”

“Morning, Nick,” Clawhauser greeted brightly while Judy whirled around to see the fox walking in, stretching his long arms out. Her ears flushed crimson.

“Ah, Carrots,” he looked mildly surprised to see her, “You came.”

 _I_ _wish_ , Judy thought but offered an awkward smile that showed off her teeth, “I got off early.”

“Hmm,” he looked at her with half-lidded eyes and it made Judy take a step back. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he replied, then grinned smugly, “Just admiring that shirt.” She wore a T-shirt of one of her favorite cartoon characters, she hadn’t the time to wash her other clothes and this was the only clean casual wear she had left. “It looks cute on you.”

Judy scowled, this fox who barely knew her did _not_ just use the C word!

An antelope, another employee of the club, then walked into the room, “Places,” he called to the dancers, “It’s time to practice.”

Judy sat on a bench next to Clawhauser while Nick and the other club’s dancers made it onto the practice floor of the room. The rabbit had her arms crossed and furiously thumped her foot, grumbling to herself that the fox really wasn’t all _that_ good-looking.

She had just gotten a little star-struck from his dancing that was all.

But then Nick was slipping his coat off and his arms were so lean and corded with muscle and those tight pants and _damnit_! Judy had to dig her fingers into her arms to keep from pulling out her phone and snapping a picture.

The practice hadn’t gone on for long when a pretty doe walked into the room, wearing a fancy business suit and studying the group of dancers.

Beside Judy Clawhauser gasped softly making the bunny look up at him, “What is it?”

“I recognize her,” the cheetah replied, indicating to the doe. “She’s a big producer for Boarway, she must be looking for some new dancers.”

“Huh…” Judy’s eyes trailed back to Nick who had noticed the producer as well, “I guess so…”

.

It was almost midnight when Judy got a knock on her door, stumbling out of bed with a yawn she opened the door-standing before her was a soaked Nick.

Her ears shot up, “N-Nick?”

“Sorry,” he apologized in way of greeting, “It’s just…Clawhauser told me your address and I…sorry.”

“C-come in,” Judy stepped back to allow the fox to walk in, dripping puddles onto her floor. “Let me get you a towel. Why didn’t you have an umbrella?”

“It wasn’t raining until I was halfway here,” he mumbled. Judy offered him a towel but he just looked at it with hollow eyes.

Brow furrowing in concern Judy tossed the towel over the fox’s head and began to rub him dry, “What’s wrong, Nick?”

“I’m fine,” he replied lowly.

“You don’t look-”

“ _I said I’m fine_ ,” he snatched the towel away from her and finished drying himself off. Once his fur was less damp he glanced over at her, green eyes guilty for snapping at her, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about,” she assured, she indicated to her only chair, “Have a seat. Do you want something to drink? I can fix you some cocoa.”

“No thanks,” he sat down on the chair, looking around the small apartment. “How do you live like this?”

“I’m rarely home,” she replied, sitting down on her bed and crossing her legs, “You’re just lucky my neighbors went for a movie or we’d be talking over their yelling.”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Judy couldn’t stand it any longer, “Nick, why are you coming over here during a rainstorm?”

“Today…” he began then swallowed before continuing, “I was introduced to a producer.”

Judy nodded, “I saw her. Isn’t it great you’re finally getting recognized?”

Nick looked at her encouraging smile then glanced away. He was hunched over in the seat, his wrists laying on his knees and his paws hanging between his legs. “She said I could have the lead role in the musical she’s starting, said I had what it takes.” His eyes glittered with bitterness, “Said I could be amazing, the greatest star to ever hit the stage… _But_ , it all depended on what choice I made…what I was willing to do to make it.”

Judy’s eyes widened in shock, “She came onto you?”

Nick flinched and the rabbit wished she hadn’t said it so bluntly, but he nodded nonetheless.

“Do you want to report her?” Judy asked, “I’m a cop, I can help.”

“There’s no point,” Nick replied, his voice acidic, “That’s just how show business works. You have to put out to be put in. Every single-damn time.”

“Nick,” Judy’s ears fell, her eyes shining with fear, “Are you crying?”

The fox’s fur bristled as if he hadn’t realized the tears gathering in his eyelids, he angrily wiped them away, “I’m fine. This isn’t the first time this has happened, I’m been offered such deals before.” He let out a humorless chuckle, “Hell, I even accepted the terms once.”

Judy listened quietly as he went on, “It was for a small part in some musical I never heard of, in this old theater barely any animals went to. But I was so desperate to finally get on stage…it wasn’t worth it…I felt so _dirty_ after it was over.” His eyes narrowed as he stared at his paws, “I still wanted to be on stage, I just wanted to be there because I was talented not because I slept with somebody. I’ve been doing this for nearly over a decade now, Carrots. And this keeps happening, you’d think I was a prostitute for all the times I was asked to have sex and I’m _sick_ of it!” He turned his glare on her, “I’m a dancer and I’m fucking good at it! I should be recognized for it _damnit_!”

Nick dwindled off into silence, Judy spoke up: “I know how it feels to not be recognized for your talents and ambitions. And I may not be an expert on the politics of stage work but…as a fan, I think you made the right call. You shouldn’t sell your talent so easily, to anyone.”

The fox blinked and a flash of gratitude crossed his emerald eyes and Judy had to keep herself in check because this was an emotional fox who had just been sexually assaulted. “You did the right thing Nick.”

“So,” she jumped off the bed, stretching. “Where are you staying? I’ll call you a cab.”

“I’ve been staying at a motel but I’m gonna run out of money soon,” he shrugged a shoulder, “I’ll just sleep backstage of the club, I’ve slept in worse places.”

But Judy was now looking at him like he was a shivering naked pup, “Why don’t you stay here?”

Nick curled his snout and looked around the small apartment in disbelief, “Uh…not that’s it a nice gesture but…”

“I have a storage garage not too far from here,” she explained, “There’s a futon there, it’ll be a tight fit but we can bring it in here for you to sleep on and there’s a communal bathroom downstairs.” When the fox still looked dubious she added, “Anything’s better than a cold floor in a club.”

“I guess…” he still looked doubtful, “As long as you don’t come onto me.”

Judy blushed and scowled, “I would never!”

.

A few days later as Nick got readied for his performance he was told that one of the back up dancers got a minor role in a Boarway play, the rumor was that he had slept with that doe to get the part. It had left Nick with bile in his throat, and fear. Fear that he was going to be stuck dancing in smoky clubs for the remainder of his life, never getting a real part in a musical, never having fulfillment in his life…

The depressed and desperate attitude followed him back to Judy’s apartment. The bunny lying on the futon he had been sleeping on, and already it carried the scent of his musk.

Closing the door softly behind him Nick noticed how she had buried her face into his pillow and imagined she enjoyed the scent (she had made it very clear she was a predo). Nick stepped closer, nose twitching and caught the scent of alcohol on her fur, he remembered that she said she was going to go drinking with some of her police buddies.

“Carrots,” Nick crawled onto the futon and gently shook her shoulder, “Go to your bed. Or can I sleep on it tonight?”

“Sorry,” she mumbled into the pillow, “I’ll get up in a second.”

“…Hey, will you come to the club tomorrow? I’m going to be debuting a brand new dance.”

“I don’t know,” she mumbled apologetically, pulling her face away the pillow to look up at him with bleary eyes. “I might be too busy tomorrow.”

“Come tomorrow,” he insisted softly, meeting her eyes with an intense gaze, “And I’ll dance for you…”

She smiled softly at him, lying her head back on the pillow and closing her eyes, “Okay, you win. But really, you should be charming producers with your talent. Not me.”

“Then teach me,” he breathed.

Judy’s eyes popped open and she stared at him like he had lost his mind-he probably had. “Wh-what?”

Nick leaned forward, his lips brushing across Judy’s ear, making the rabbit tense underneath him, “Teach me how to charm prey…teach me how to sleep with them.”

“Nick-” her words ended in a tight gasp as Nick’s paw slid under her shirt, the fur of her belly soft. “ _Nick_.”

“I give up,” he breathed against her neck, his legs caging her hip, “I don’t want to dance in clubs anymore, Carrots. I want to get on a _real_ stage.”

“But you-you said you didn’t want to get there like that!” Even though she was trying to talk him out of it he could smell the arousal from between her legs and knew she wanted this, had been waiting for this since they first met.

“We all have to make sacrifices, Fluff,” he informed her, his paw trailing from her belly up to her chest. “That’s life. Now show me how to pleasure you without hurting you.”

He kissed her throat and she shivered. “You’re so small…” he remarked into the dark room. “You feel so breakable.”

“Not-not as fragile as I look,” she panted against the pillow, her hips rising up to press against his crotch. He kissed her neck and shoulder, massaged her chest, smelled her desire increase until it choked the room.

Still he kept whispering her assurances, “You like me don’t you?”

A nod. “Then just cooperate…You’re a predo, after all. Any predator will do.”

Nick let out a bark of pain as Judy’s legs suddenly slammed into a stomach, roughly pushing him off her. He sat up, cringing and clutching his sore abdomen while Judy crawled off the futon and fixed him with a glare that nearly had him tuck his tail in.

“Watch your mouth!” she snapped, her fists at her sides and shaking, her violet eyes glassy, “Don’t you _dare_ look down on me like that ever again!”

Nick could only stare at her, “I-I’m sorry…”

“You say that a lot,” she mumbled harshly before heading toward the door and closing it behind her with a slam. Leaving Nick with a sore stomach and a deep sense of guilt.

.

“Judy isn’t one to hold a grudge,” Clawhauser assured Nick as he checked over the fox’s eyeliner, making sure it was just right so that his eyes would pop on stage. “Even if you do something as stupid and mean-spirited as that.”

“I wasn’t trying to be mean,” Nick said, his voice hoarse. He had stayed up for hours, tossing on the futon and waiting for Judy to come back. When she finally did it was past two, Nick had pretended to be asleep while nearly numb with relief that she had come back. She didn’t try to speak to him as she crawled into her bed and when he woke up the next morning she had already left for work. “I was frustrated…and I took it out on her.”

“She’s probably more upset that you used her feelings for you to your advantage,” Clawhauser pointed out, stepping back to admire his handy work.

“Yeah, she probably is,” Nick’s eyes fell to his paws.

“Ah, ah, don’t get so upset when you’re about to go on stage,” the cheetah kindly warned. “Just apologize to her, she’ll forgive you.”

“I already apologized last night,” the fox pointed out.

“There’s more than one way to apologize.”

Just then Flash slowly walked in, “Hey…Nick…you got…a…package…this…morning…” He offered a bouquet of roses to the fox who took them with a quiet thank you. He saw between the thorn-less stems a card that only said the words: You’re Already A Star.

“Who’s this from?” he asked Flash but he already knew the answer.

“It…was…anonymous…”

The club was crowded more so then usual and he sucked in the smiles and cheers, try to take pleasure from it, all the while looking for a pair of long ears in the crowd. The music started and instantly he moved to it, it was like instinct at this point. A wave of a paw here, a swish of a hip there, twirl around the stage, smolder the crowd with your half-lidded gaze.

He was halfway through the dance when he looked toward the club’s entrance and there she was. Running in, chest heaving as she caught her breath-she had raced over here, just to see him.

He kept moving around the stage, highly aware as she slipped through the thick crowd to get up to the front. Her eyes were glassy with emotion, both fond and sad, but not bitterness-Judy Hopps didn’t get bitter, she smiled and she forgave and she believed in him and Nick wondered how he had never noticed how beautiful she was.

As the song slid to its end Nick dropped to a knee, on the edge of the stage, right before her.

Burning emerald met shining violet.

Nick smiled.

Judy smiled back.

.

It was past eleven and Nick was in the apartment in nothing but his boxers. “Carrots,” he looked at the bed, making out her form under the blanket. “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

Her body shook with laughter as she turned around to shoot him a teasing smirk, “How very preyo of you. You at least going to put some pants on?”

Nick returned the grin before crawling onto the bed, leaning over her and placing a deep kiss across her mouth.

“Sly bunny,” he cheeked.

“Dumb fox,” she shot back.


	11. Just Like in a Fairytale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cinderella AU

Nick Wilde could accept the fact that he had a kind of-to put it nicely- _talent_ for getting himself into weird situations and getting mixed into unfortunate events.

But hiding in the hallway of the Ella Palace’s Ballroom (said ballroom filled with city officials such as the ZPD and even the _mayor_ ) was definitely not his fault. It was Officer Judy Hopps.

 But Nick could admit it wasn’t her fault he was currently in a blue ball gown, or that he thought he actually wore it quite well. That was Finnick’s.

            It all started when Nick was sent off on an errand for his boss/slave driver Mr. Big. The shrew had practically raised the fox and he was going to make sure Nick never forgot it. Though running Mr. Big’s errands wasn’t always the most _morally pure_ of jobs (him being a crime boss) and all, but luckily this errand only had Nick walking across Tundra Town to deliver a birthday cake to his number one employee Kozlov, a bear that probably iced far too many animals in his life but Nick certainly wasn’t going to ask about it.

            Having not been told he had to return straight away Nick stuffed his paws in his pockets and casually strolled through the snow, whistling a random song he had heard yesterday on Finnick’s radio.

The pleasant stroll quickly turned terrifying when he was nearly run over by one of those miniature clown cars given to meter maids. The fox yelped and fell to the ground as the vehicle screeched to a halt.

 “Oh my gosh!” a feminine voice spoke up, Nick was staring up at the sky as his life passed before his eyes. Did he really look that silly in floral print?

“Are you okay?” his vision was then filled with that of a scared bunny, her big violet eyes staring down at him.

“Are you the devil?” he asked.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” her ears fell with relief before she grabbed his paw and helped him back onto his feet. “I’m so sorry, it’s so hard to control one of these”-she nodded to her joke-mobile as Nick decided to call it since _he_ was taller than that thing-“in the snow.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t drive it in Tundra Town then,” Nick offered a little bitingly, in his defense she _did_ almost run him over.

She cringed, “I really am sorry.” The rabbit shot her paw out to him, “I’m Officer Judy Hopps, ZPD.”

Nick took in her meter maid vest and just managed to bite back his smirk, shaking her smaller paw, “Nick Wilde.”  “Um, Mr. Wilde you wouldn’t happen to know…” she trailed off as she fished a slip of paper out of her pocket and read it aloud, “Where Basil and Bailey’s Dress Shop is?”

“I do,” Nick said, “But I’m not really in the habit of helping out someone who nearly killed me.”

 “I don’t think it wouldn’t killed you,” she pointed out with a frown, “But if you take me there I’d be happy to buy you a cup of hot chocolate.”

“…Can I get a mocha latte instead?”

“Of course.”

Nick sat down in the joke-mobile, “We’ll need to take a left.”

 

.

 

            A few minutes of perilous driving in the snow later Nick sat in a chair in the warm Basil and Bailey’s Dress Shop.

Judy was at the counter, talking to a well dress mouse that he assumed was either Basil and Bailey, apparently she was suppose to be picking an outfit up here. Nick was curious as to why she needed it.

 “Going to a ball?” he joking asked from his spot on the chair.

Judy looked at him over her shoulder and offered a small smile that a part of Nick’s brain thought was cute, “Actually yes.”

The fox blinked and she continued, “City Hall is hosting a ball for Zootopia’s anniversary, all of the ZPD are invited. My friend Clawhauser ordered me an outfit from here so I came to pick it up.”

“Sounds like a fairy tale,” he commented.

Judy’s cute smile only grew, “It does, doesn’t it? I’m pretty excited.” Her ears then fell, “Though I wish I had gotten more time to find a date.”

 Nick leaned his head back against the chair, “I’d offer but I’d too easily sweep you off your feet and I just don’t have the energy to catch a swooning bunny.”

Judy chuckled, but Nick could tell she doubted his superior charming skills.

 

.

 

            After finally receiving her outfit (which she kept in the bag because she didn’t want exposed to the snow) Judy took Nick to a nearby Snarlbucks to get him his promised mocha latte. She bought herself a cup of hot cocoa.

The fox and rabbit sat at one of the smaller tables of the store, enjoying their steamy beverages and breathing in the scent of coffee grounds and melting snow.

“Does this make up for me accidentally killing you?” she asked in an almost sincere manner.

Nick took another sip and smacked his lips as he considered, “It’s a start.”

Judy giggled again and Nick found he liked the sound of it.

 “So, tell me,” she began, leaning back against her chair, “What’s a fox like you doing in a place like this?”

Knowing the last thing he needed to do was tell a member of the ZPD he worked for the mafia so instead he showed off his fangs in a teasing grin, “Wish I could tell ya, Carrots.” His voice went low, “But if I did I’d have to eat you.” Judy rolled her eyes but her cute smile stayed in place, “Okay, okay.”

But now Nick wanted to ask a question, “Correct me if I’m wrong but I think you’re the first bunny cop in like-ever.”

Judy sat up straighter, her chest practically swelling with pride, “That’s right. Everyone told me it was impossible,” she let out a confident snort, “I proved them wrong.”

Nick slowly clapped for her, making her ears blush, “Congrats.”

            Nick’s phone chose then to buzz, pulling it out of his pocket he saw he had a message from Mr. Big telling him to return. Nick held back a sigh.

“I need to get going, Carrots,” he said with an apologetic shrug.

“That’s fine,” she replied, “I should be getting back too.”

 Nick stood up to leave but only got a few feet before Judy called out his name, he turned to look at her and saw she was fiddling with her fingers, looking bashful.

“The thing is…” she began awkwardly, “We’re allowed a plus one and if you don’t already have plans you are welcome to come.”

A lot of strange things had happened to Nick in his lifetime but getting asked out by a bunny was not one of them. “I…don’t really have any clothes fit for a fancy ball,” he informed her.

“You can wear whatever you want,” she quickly assured him. “It’s just, you have a very calming presence and I could really use that right now.” She even added with a gloating smile, “Plus it’d be interesting to see you try to sweep me off my feet.”

Nick returned her smirk, “I’ll think about it, Fluff.”

“I’ll put your name on the list either way.”

 

.

 

            After returning to Mr. Big’s place and doing his usual housewife chores Nick realized, very quickly, that he _definitely_ wanted to go to that ball with Judy.

He wasn’t completely sure why. Maybe he was bored. Maybe he was curious. Maybe he wanted to try something he had never done before just to say he had done it. Maybe he thought the rabbit was _kind of_ the most adorable thing he had ever seen. Whatever, it didn’t matter why.

What mattered is that now that he knew he wanted to go, how would he get some appropriate attire. Despite what Judy said he wasn’t walking into a ballroom that had the mayor and ZPD wearing his flora print shirt and stripped tie. No he needed something fancy.

           But first he needed to find a way to leave without Mr. Big being none the wiser.

Turns out fate, luck, and pixie dust were on his side because right after he finished mopping one of the many bathrooms in the mansion the arctic shrew found him and informed the fox that he, his daughter, and a handful of his favorite polar bears, were going to a party in Tundra Town. Nick had to bite back his smile as he waved goodbye.

            Then he grabbed his phone and dialed Finnick’s number.

“This had better be good,” the older fox grumbled from the other line.

“I need you to be my fairy godmother,” Nick said immediately.

There was a pause and then Finnick spoke, “You have my attention.”

“As soon as I dialed your number I came to a realization,” Nick began, “Tonight, tonight I’ve become Cinderelephant!”

“…the fairy tale?”

“Yes! Thank about it! I’m a fox with no love having to be a slave to a pack of animals who could care less and then quite suddenly an animal with a type of superiority asks me to go to the ball and now all I need is you to get me something to wear to this ball and I can go dance away until the clock strikes midnight!”

Finnick smacked his lips, “Nick, do you realize that you sometimes talk and it provides more questions than answers.”

 “Get me something to wear tonight, Finnick and I swear to Marian I will give you all the details tomorrow!”

 The fennec sighed, “I’ll see what’s in my inventory.”

 

.

 

            Which led to where Nick was now, though he had given Nick some choice words as he pulled the dress on and ran out the door, but his confidence quickly faded when he arrived at the ballroom and saw it had already started.

He peeked through the semi-open doors at the fancily dressed animals, taking a moment to find Judy. He laughed at the irony of the world when he saw she was wearing a tux, and she was looking around as if searching for him. But Nick doubted she cared that much if he showed up, he was sure she had asked because it was merely convenient.

            “Ma’am?” a gruff voice made Nick’s tail bristle.

He looked up to see he had caught the eye of a smartly dressed rhino who held a guest list in one large hand.

Nick swallowed as the rhino narrowed his eyes at him (“Or…sir?”), “Are you on the guest list.”  “Why-why yes I am,” Nick tried to appear suave like he went to balls all the time. “Do you think I’d be here if I wasn’t?”

The rhino looked eager to throw the fox out, “Name?”  “Nick Wilde?”

As the rhino’s beady eyes skimmed over the list Nick had a moment of intense terror that Judy _hadn’t_ put his name on the list, had only said she would so he’d show up and get kicked out and she could have a good laugh about it.

But then the rhino spoke: “Your Officer Hopps’ guest?”

Nick nodded and the rhino ushered him into the room before he was ready.

            All eyes on him Nick sucked in a breath and straightened up, male or not he looked _fabulous_ in this dress and he wasn’t going to let any animal tell him otherwise.

Nick took a few confident steps forward, before tripping on his skirt and falling down, said skirt flying over his head.

Nick’s ears pressed back against his skull as he heard the chuckles. But then a familiar voice cut through, “You really are something else.”

Nick moved the skirt off his head to see Judy standing before, smiling both warmly yet bemusedly. He sat up and smiled cheekily, “You did say I could wear whatever I want.”

She giggled, “So I did.” She reached her paw out to him, her smile still the cutest thing he had ever seen and her violet eyes sparkling like a pair of gems (or glass slippers). “May I have this dance?”

 Ready to dance the night away like in a fairy tail Nick reached his arm out and took her paw.


	12. Love is Savage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Sad.

When Judy Hopps became a police officer she had vowed she would always follow the rules, be by the book, and never let any kind of criminal sway her to do what she shouldn’t.

She broke that vow when she met the fox known as Nicholas Wilde.

            They had met when she had first visited his clinic she would later find out was a cover for his underground pred-only amusement park known as Wilde Times. She would hear that a terrible _savage_ accident had happened there and she was once again glad for the T.A.M.E. collars.

But she met the fox again when he escaped prison and she had chased him through Little Rodentia, handcuffing him to her and losing the key in the process. He had desperately told her that what had happened with the savage predator wasn’t what happened when predators were un-collared. Judy hadn’t wanted to believe him but she had heard that his amusement park had been flourishing for over a year, and only now did a un-collared predator go savage?

 Judy ended up dragging him with her on this self-assigned investigation.

The fox had been eager to voice his dislike of the situation which led to far too many arguments than Judy had cared to count, all of them ending with the fox shocking himself.

            He took her to a naturalist club and watched gleefully as she squirmed while getting information.

He took her to the DMV and smirked as she nearly tore her fur out in her impatience.

He mocked her and her beliefs when they made it to Tundra Town, told her she wasn’t a real cop, that she wasn’t fighting for true justice.

 They ended up running into the mafia boss Kozlov who had funded Wilde Times, the polar bear had been far nicer than Judy would’ve imagined, listening with erect ears as she was told of all the happiness the secret park had brought, before they left Kozlov asked them to check for his friend Manchas who he hadn’t seen in days.

            He found his friends that had helped him run Wilde Times and now helped them remove the handcuffs while the badger, Honey, told her to beware the sheep.

They had left just before the tranquilizer darts flew, stabbing Judy’s body and she blacked out as she fell into the snow.

When she came to she and Nick were in the Rainforest District, the fox telling her he had recognized the animals that had tried to capture them, but Judy was too flabbergasted over the fact that he had saved her instead of running to safety.

 Realizing Manchas lived nearby Judy walked to the jaguar’s house, asking Nick to tell her about Wilde Times. The fox was confused by the sudden curiosity, but he did, explained how much hard work it had taken to bring it to it’s feet, but it was his dream and he had been so proud of it, so happy that he could bring the discriminated predators a shred of happiness. And as he talked Judy started to realize that he was right, she hadn’t been fighting for true justice.

 This collard fox with his torn suit and sarcastic lips had brought more justice to Zootopia by opening an illegal amusement park than she had being an officer of the ZPD. She held onto that fact, keeping it in the back of her head.

            They had reached Manchas but the jaguar waiting for them was no longer Kozlov’s friend, he was a savage monster that for some reason wasn’t collared. He lunged at them and they ran, Judy tripping on a root in the process and waiting for the jaguar’s teeth to clamp around her neck.

 But once again that wonderful collared fox had risked his life to save her own, grabbing her and telling her to hold her breath before he jumped off a nearby bridge and they ended up landing in an ice cold lake below.

Nick had nearly flew out of the water, quick to dry off his zapping collar, when Judy climbed up to the bank to his side she saw the claw wounds Manchas had given the fox when he grabbed Judy. Seeing the bleeding wounds Nick had let out a hysterical laugh before passing out.

            Judy had taken him to her family burrow, watched him interact with her family, watch him be the farthest thing from the horror stories she had read, the threats she had been warned of, the reason the collars were unnecessary.

And she realized, watching Nick look at her with a delighted smile when he was allowed to hold one of the newborns, that the collars weren’t necessary. Not one bit.

 She had taken him to her room and before he could react pulled out her police-issued key and uncollared him.

  Judy watched with fond amusement as he stared at her with open shock, the fur of his neck bark and bristled, he reached his paw out to massage his neck, closing his eyes and smiling with bliss.

 Judy told him he had been right about everything, that the collars weren’t necessary, that he was her hero.

 Nick had bent down and kissed her.

            When the embarrassment of that sporadic display of joy and gratitude was finished Nick and Judy ended up looking through some of the files she had kept at home, some being about the savage predator case.

Together they looked through the files, the conspiracies.

Together they found the pieces of the puzzle.

Together they solved it.

 Together they ran back to city hall, Nick once again collared, and ready to show their findings to Chief Bogo.

            The mayor that Judy had thought was her friend was already there, along with the wolf that Nick had found at Wilde Times, that had darted Judy, and the fox and bunny were chased away from city hall and to the empty history museum.

They were trapped while Bellwether gloated over her ingenious plan, her betrayal to the city, not knowing that Judy had her phone on speaker in her pocket, Bogo overhearing the entire confession.

 Bellwether revealed the Night Howlers that had really been the source of the savagery, and with horror there was nothing Judy could do when she darted Nick.

The fox fell to the cold floor and flailed for a moment before the dart took effect and he let out a ferocious snarl, his now wild eyes on Judy.

 He didn’t glare at her for long before his now speeding pulse made the collar start to shock the collar and without the sense to calm down it didn’t stop. Shocking him over and over again as Bellwether laughed and Judy tried to figure out what to do.

If she uncollared him he would attack her.

If she didn’t he would die.

_You had been right about everything…the collars weren’t necessary…you’re my hero…let me be yours._

 Judy lunged at the thrashing fox that screamed in pain as volts of electricity fried his insides, the collar burned as she pulled out her key and undid the collar.

It fell off with a clang.

Bellwether gasped.

 Judy let out a sigh of relief, feeling a wave of satisfaction that outdid when she graduated from the academy, she knew there was an antidote and that Nick would receive it, that the ZPD were heading here now and would catch Bellwether even if the ewe was now running away in fear.

 She watched as Nick, her hero, suck in ragged breaths his body still trembling. Then he looked up at her, his green eyes narrow and his teeth bared. Judy found it ironic that she was looking at the horror stories that had been recited to her as a child, and she wasn’t scared.

She was happy.

This fox that had saved her…

This fox that had opened her eyes…

This fox she loved…

Judy spoke, not to him but to the speaker of her phone, ordering the ZPD to treat this fox with respect, to not blame him for what would happen next, to cure him, to give him back his amusement park, to let him live.

            Nick dove for her throat.


	13. The Godmother

It was lovely weather in Tundra Town, fresh flurries of snow drifting lazily down and the ground below crisp and white. Mammals were out running in the fresh snow, building forts and snow-mammals, making snow angels and tossing snow balls through the air.

            Judy Hopps trekked through the snow, smiling at a group of young polar bears who passed her by, holding skates between their paws. Behind her was her police partner Nick Wilde, who was slowly walking behind her, his red tail dragging in the snow.

“Could you frown a little more, Nick?” Judy asked her friend, looking at him from over her shoulder. “You look too happy and I think its bumming some of the kids out.”

“Har har,” the fox replied in curled lip sarcasm.

            Said fox was in a bad mood because Judy had dragged him along to visit the bunny’s friend, the arctic shrew Fru Fru who would soon be giving birth to Judy’s goddaughter.

“I just don’t see why I have to come along,” Nick grumbled. “You know Mr. Big hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you he’s…” Judy struggled for the right word. “Neutral? Yes, let’s go with neutral.”

“He hates me, Carrots.”

“Well, Fru Fru doesn’t and that’s who we’re going to see,” she answered. She walked back to the fox and linked arms with him. “And when my goddaughter gets here she’ll love you.”

 “Oh, fluff,” Nick sent a pitying look at her as they continued down the snow covered street, “If you actually believe that Mr. Big will let me near his granddaughter…I’d suggest a cat-scan for one, followed by months of therapy.”

The rabbit rolled her eyes but didn’t comment. She knew Nick would be like this but she had had a nagging feeling that she would want him around, and it’s not like she ever tired of his company anyway. And she _did_ want to try and have him connect with her future goddaughter; she believed Nick would be good with kids.

            By the time they reached the gates to Mr. Big’s mansion the two were shivering from the overexposure to the cold and having not worn cloths for cold weather. A large polar bear stood guard at the gate and stared at the two smaller mammals with steely eyes.

 “Can I help you,” his voice was deep and intimidating.

 Judy nodded, “I’m Judy Hopps, I’ve come to see Fru Fru.”

The bear nodded, “She’s been expecting you.” He turned his eyes to Nick who shrunk under the glare. “What about him?”  “He’s with me, of course,” Judy answered, stepping closer to her friend. “Fru Fru won’t mind he’s here.”

The polar bear snorted, knowing it wasn’t the pregnant artic shrew’s opinion he was worried about, but he unlocked the gate and allowed them in. Judy nodded a thank you to the bear before they continued up the hill to the main entrance where they were greeted by yet another polar bear (this one smaller and younger) who allowed them inside.

 “Does every polar bear in Zootopia work here?” Nick mumbled into her ear as they were led farther into the house that was only slightly warmer than outside. Judy only shrugged, hugging herself and rubbing warmth back into her arms.

            They were led into what looked like a living room, on a table stood a series of fancy looking furniture such as couches and chairs, a nearly bear-sized TV screen was on the wall across from the furniture, a lit fireplace directly underneath it.

On one of the fancy couches sat Fru Fru, eating a multicolored bowl of ice cream, looking about to burst with her very pregnant belly.

Her eyes lit up when she spotted her visitors, “Judy! Hi!”

“Hi, Fru Fru,” Judy greeted cheerfully and walked over to kiss her friend on the cheek. While she did so Nick scurried over to the fireplace and started warming his paws and tail.

“It’s so good to see you,” Judy rested her elbows on the table, “How’ve you been?”

“All over the place,” Fru Fru replied with a tired sigh, “If I suddenly burst into tears I’m sorry.” She looked down at the bowl of ice cream on her lap and Judy saw swirls of green and yellow. “And don’t ask what flavor this is, I don’t know.”

Judy chuckled softly, “Don’t worry, my mom and sisters are like that every time their expecting a litter too.”

“I’m only expecting one though,” Fru Fru moaned, clutching her tummy. “Why must you torture me like this?” She shook her head sadly then seemed to notice Nick for the first time, the red fox still sitting in front of the fire place. “Hi, Nicky.”

The fox glanced over his shoulder at her, “Hey, Fru, nice place you got. And nice baby bump while we’re at it.”

Judy rolled her eyes but Fru Fru giggled, “I didn’t know Judy was bringing you.”

“It was her idea,” Nick immediately framed, pointing at the rabbit.

“I don’t mind,” the arctic shrew shook her head, “And don’t let my daddy scare you; he’s a big softie at heart.”

Nick turned his head back to the fireplace, no doubt not wanting Fru Fru to see his expression which would speak volumes sometimes.

            “So what are we watching?” Nick changed the topic. Judy looked up at the large TV screen to see a pretty mouse crying as her true love boarded a train, leaving her behind. It was a drama Judy had watched a couple of times but could never get into, but apparently Fru Fru was completely invested.

 “Renaldo, no!” she gasped, her eyes instantly welling with tears. “Patricia loves you! Why would you just leave her like that!?”

Fru Fru started to sob and Judy quickly handed her the tiny box of tissues she found on the table. The arctic shrew took it gratefully and dabbed at her eyes, Judy glanced at Nick who was watching Fru Fru in horror, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

            “Ah, Judy,” a new voice spoke up and Judy turned around to see Mr. Big being carried in by a polar bear, “I’m glad to see you.”

She smiled and walked over to kiss the shrew’s ring finger, “It’s good to see you too, sir.”

Mr. Big slowly turned his head to look at Nick who jumped to his feet, the fox hurried over to give the shrew a proper greeting but Mr. Big held up a miniscule paw, halting him.

 “Judy, I must talk with you in private,” he spoke again to the bunny.

Judy furrowed her brow, it wasn’t like the shrew to request a private audience but nodded anyway, following him back out into the hall. Before she closed the door behind her she glanced at Fru Fru and Nick, her pregnant friend was still crying over Renaldo’s betrayal, but Nick was looking at her with concern, wanting to go with her but knowing Mr. Big wouldn’t approve. She flashed a reassuring smile before closing the door.

            Outside in the hall Mr. Big looked down at her from the perch of the silent polar bear’s paw, “Do you remember my old driver, Manchas?”

She nodded, she could hardly forget.

“Since he quit I had to find a new driver, I hired a wolverine by the name of Logan.” Mr. Big let out a disgusted sigh and shook his head, “That proved to be a mistake, he was unreliable, always late, and down right dangerous, always nearly crashing into signs and other cars. I put my foot down when he almost crashed into a _lake_ with my daughter inside. I fired him.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Judy asked, not knowing what it had to do with her. “I can’t exactly arrest him unless I witness it.”

“You will not have to,” Mr. Big growled, “I will be going after him myself. After I fired him he threatened to seek revenge and have now been sending letters I do not take kindly. My boys and I are going to find him.”

And Judy did not want to know what they would do when they did.

“But while I’m away I would breathe easier if you stayed with my daughter and keep watch over her until I return.”

“You actually think he’ll come here?”

“I’ve learned to never underestimate my enemies, not even the most ridiculous like you’re fox. Now, will you stay with my daughter or not?”

“Of course I will,” Judy vowed, “Don’t you worry, Mr. Big, Fru Fru’s my friend and I’ll protect her with my life.”

Mr. Big smiled, satisfied, “That’s what I want to hear.”

 

.

 

            Once Mr. Big had left Judy returned to the TV room and while Fru Fru was giving a now angry commentary to her drama Judy told Nick about the wolverine.

“Yeesh,” the fox shuddered from the fireplace he had returned to. “I’ve never been comfortable around wolverines; they all look like they’ll tear my throat out if I look at them wrong.”

“I don’t think we’ll have to worry,” Judy promised him. There were still plenty of polar bears left at the mansion while their boss was gone; even if this Logan showed up they’d be able to subdue him.

            The TV then flicked off and the two looked to Fru Fru who placed her remote down. “I need a break from that mess. You two come over here, I want to chat.” The two got comfortable beside the shrew and Nick was the first to speak: “Where’s the baby’s father?”

“Ah, my poor hubby is off at work. He’s always so busy, but he’ll be back later tonight.” She looked at the two cops, “So, how have _you_ two been?”

Judy and Nick exchanged glances, not completely comfortable about Fru Fru’s sly tone.

“It’s been good,” Judy answered, “Solving cases, helping our community, the usual.”

“Besides work,” Fru Fru insisted.

Judy looked away, thinking, a lot of her life revolved around her job, not something she was completely bothered by but she understood that Fru Fru was more interested in other things.

 “We went bowling with Clawhauser and Finnick,” Nick spoke up.

“Ah, that’s right,” Judy nodded, remembering the day that had happened a couple of weeks ago.

 “How was that?” Fru Fru asked with interest.

“I won,” Nick grinned proudly.

“You didn’t have teams?” the shrew asked, giving the two another weird look.

“Oh we did, but Finnick and Nick were on a team together and well…Finnick can’t exactly pick up a bowling ball.”  “That bowling ball is bigger than him,” Nick stated bluntly. “But he’s my friend, besides I wouldn’t exactly call you and Clawhauser competition.” Judy frowned but her eyes were playful, “What are you insinuating, Nick?”

“I’m insinuating the fact Clawhauser slid, literally slid down that lane because his fingers got stuck in the ball’s holes.”  “But he _did_ make a strike,” Judy reminded him.

“Yeah, with his _face_. And as for you…” Nick trailed off.

“What did she do?” Fru Fru asked.

Judy desperately shook her head but Nick smiled, no mercy in his green eyes, “Little Miss Hopps here got so invested into her turn that she ended up throwing the bowling ball and it crashed right into the wall.”

Fru Fru broke into loud laughter as Judy’s ears drooped in mortification, seeing the shocked stares of all the other mammals present (except for Finnick, he had been too busy laughing). Fru Fru’s laugh suddenly stopped abruptly, making the two larger mammals look at her.

 “You okay?” Judy asked with concern.

“I-I think so I…” Fru Fru’s voice faltered and her eyes widened in horror, “Judy…I think my water just broke.”

 The rabbit gaped but Nick nearly jumped out of his fur, screaming out a “WHAT?” that made the two girls jump.

 “Okay, let’s just stay calm,” Judy replied, remembering all the times she was there when her mother was giving birth to a new litter. “We need to call Tundra Town’s hospital and get them to send an ambulance-“

“I can’t wait that long,” Fru Fru said in scared voice. Judy rubbed her friend’s back comfortingly.

“Okay them,” she replied, “We’ll drive there ourselves.”

“Kevin can drive us,” Fru Fru told her.

 “Kevin? Kevin. Kevin! We need Kevin! KEVIN, WHERE ARE YOU!?” Nick spluttered as he dashed out of the room, screaming the polar bear’s name.

Judy and Fru Fru stared after him.

“Is he going to be okay?” the shrew asked.

Judy shrugged, “I honestly don’t know.”

 

.

 

            A few minutes later Kevin was driving a limo past the mansion’s gate, a blizzard had started but the polar bear didn’t seem bothered by it. He called the hospital, telling them they would be there soon before he hung up to dial Mr. Big. Meanwhile Judy and Nick sat in the back, Fru Fru between them.

“The-the baby wasn’t supposed to be here until next week,” Fru Fru said, holding her stomach protectively.  “Don’t worry,” Judy assured her, “This happens sometimes, baby Judy apparently can’t wait to meet her awesome godmother.”

Fru Fru giggled a little breathlessly, “Or maybe she’s just a little cramped in there, Lord knows it feels like a watermelon in my belly.”

 “ _Would you two stop joking around this is serious_!” Nick snapped, his fur sticking on end and eyes wild.

 Judy and Fru Fru exchanged surprised glances before looking at Nick again. “I’m guessing you’ve never witnessed the miracle of birth?” Judy guessed.

Nick glowered at her, “I was an only kit and never got into the medical business. _Of course I haven’t_!”

 “Well don’t either of you worry,” Judy assured them, “I grew up in Bunnyburrow, I’ve seen little rabbits brought into the world every other day.”

“Bunnies and arctic shrews are hardly the same thing, Carrots,” Nick argued, now biting his nails and casting anxious glances at Fru Fru as if she’d explode.

“We’re all mammals,” Judy replied easily. “Now, I need you to start your breathing exercises.”

She had been speaking to Fru Fru of course but Nick joined in, looking even more panicked than the in-labor shrew. “Hee, hee, hoo. Hee, hee, hoo.”

“That’s it,” Judy nodded, smiling, “Keep that up until we reach the hos-”

Suddenly Kevin swerved, nearly colliding with a car that the blizzard had hidden until the last minute. Judy immediately wrapped herself around Fru Fru, protecting her friend from the incoming crash, she felt Nick’s arms wrap around her protectively as the car shook and thump, falling down a snow bank beside the road and sliding down to crash into a tree.

            The world got quiet except for the three’s breathing and the whirling wind outside.

“Kevin?” Judy breathed, fearing the worse.

She released Fru Fru and pulled out of Nick grip, climbing into the front seat. The bear had his head against the window, a small trickle of blood falling from his ear. Judy lifted his massive paw and pressed her fingers against his wrist, she let out a breath a relief when she felt a pulse.

“It’s okay,” she told her friends as she crawled out of the front seat and back to them. “He’s just unconscious.”

“Just,” Nick echoed in disbelief. “He’s the only one big enough to drive this thing, Judy, if it even still works.”

Judy pulled out her phone, “Calm down, I’ll call-” her words stop.

“Let me guess,” Nick sighed, “No bars.”

She looked out the window but saw only the white of the blizzard, she swallowed.

“How far do you think the hospital is?” Fru Fru asked, starting to breathe faster.

“We’re not letting you out in that storm,” Judy told her.

“Then what’ll we-” the shrew suddenly cried out in pain, making Nick yelp.

“We’ll just have to deliver her here,” Judy decided, crouching on the floorboard before Fru Fru.

Nick stared at her in shock, “ _Carrots_! We can’t deliver a baby in a limo!”

“Got a better idea, Nick?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the expectant mother. Nick didn’t answer.

“Just help me keep her calm,” Judy told him.

“I’m not calm!” the fox pointed out frantically

“Then get calm!”

 Nick let out a breath, looking on the verge of hysteria, but nodded. “Okay,” Nick joined her side. “I’ll help.”

Fru Fru let out a moan of pain and Judy lifted the shrew’s skirt up.

“But I’ll do it with my eyes closed,” Nick decided, climbing back onto the seat and looking at the ceiling.

 Judy resisted the urge to roll her eyes and focused, “You’re gonna have to go through some contractions before you can start pushing, okay?”

Fru Fru nodded frantically, “I’m scared Judy.”

“I know, sweetie. But don’t you worry; I’m not going to let anything happen to my friend or goddaughter.”

Fru Fru started to smile but it ended in a cry. “Nicky,” she looked to the fox, “Can I hold your paw?”

“Can you?” Nick asked, “Like, physically?”

“ _Nick_ ,” Judy snapped as Fru Fru let out another moan of pain.

“Okay, okay,” he said quickly, holding out his finger to her which Fru Fru grabbed.

“You can squeeze as hard as you want, Fru,” Judy told her, “You won’t mind, will you Nick?”

The fox still was looking up, “Not exactly my biggest worry-Ow!” His stared down at Fru Fru in surprise as the shrew gripped him with fierce fingers, her face scrunched up.

“You have to keep breathing,” Judy told her.

The shrew did, Nick joining in, looking ready to pass out.

“Stay with me, Nick,” Judy ordered, the fox nodded. “Okay, Fru. You’ll be able to start pushing soon-”

            There was a knock on the limo’s door; the three whipped their heads around to stare at it.

“Maybe it’s the paramedics,” Nick breathed looking relieved. But Judy’s senses were on high alert.

“Nick wait-”

 It was too late, Nick opened the door…to reveal the face of a wolverine.

Before anyone could react the mammal reached a thick arm in and grabbed Nick, tossing him over his shoulder and out the door into the blizzard, only his red fur could be seen in the storm.

 “Nick!” Judy gasped in fright.

The wolverine’s hostile eyes then landed on her, “Get out, bunny.”

Judy scowled at him, “Give me one good reason!”

“If you don’t get out willingly I’ll throw you out like that fox. I have personal business with _her_.” He pointed a claw at Fru Fru who was breathing frantically. Judy moved to block the mammal’s path to her friend, “ _Logan_.”

The wolverine snarled and crawled into the car, “I’ll make that shrew regret firing me.” He lunged at them.

“ _Stay away from her_!” Judy screeched, kicking her legs out and hitting the mammal square in the jaw. Logan moved back with a hiss of pain, rubbing his mouth.

Judy edged Fru Fru farther away, not taking her eyes off Logan and keeping herself between him and her friend.

The wolverine glared at her, baring his fangs and reached for them again, Judy threw her body over Fru Fru, ready to take claws through her flesh to keep her safe. But then Logan let out a yelp of pain.

            Nick was on the wolverine’s back and had his arms locked around his neck, his own teeth bared and eyes glittering with hostility. Logan tried to shake the fox off, unable to reach him. Nick met Judy’s eyes and mouthed: “Push him.”

Judy lurched forward and full-bodied tackled the wolverine, surprising him and causing him to fall out into the blizzard, Nick still on his back. They fell to the snow and Nick used the temporary confusion to kick the limo door shut.  “Lock it!” he yelled from outside before the sounds of a scuffle broke out.

Judy halted, if she locked the door Nick would be trapped out there with that animal all alone, he could probably barely see in that snow. She looked at Fru Fru over her shoulder, the shrew’s painful moans escalated and her eyes were wide with terror. If Logan got back in Judy wouldn’t be able to protect her and her unborn child for long. With guilt and fear clogging her throat Judy locked the door, the sounds of snarls and struggles rising in volume.

           “Judy,” Fru Fru wailed, “I think it’s time!”

The rabbit hurried over to the arctic shrew, forcing herself to block the rest of the world out. “Let’s do this, Fru Fru.”

 

.

 

            Nick didn’t know what made him angrier. That this wolverine would try to attack his partner/best friend and a helpless pregnant shrew, or the fact he was doing it because he got fired. Like jeez, the economy’s tough on a lot of mammals, pal.

 The wolverine managed to fling Nick off his back and the Nick immediately jumped back to his feet as soon as he hit the snow.

Logan snarled at him and Nick snarled right back, not in the mood for any attempts at intimidation. The wolverine sprung at him and Nick dodged, managed to tackle the wolverine’s ribs while he was still in air, causing him to fall down.

Logan kicked Nick in the stomach, sending him flying and gasping for breath. He had to avoid getting hit, he had a good chance too, the wolverine may have been stronger but Nick was faster, and by the way Logan was squinting he had just as hard a time as the fox seeing in the blizzard.

 Nick stood back up and Logan lunged again, Nick jumped away and the wolverine slammed into the side of the limo, he heard Fru Fru scream. Nick jumped back onto the wolverine’s back and made at his eyes, trying to claw at them.

Logan fell to the ground and started to roll around, trying to crush Nick under his weight while Nick claws at any part of his face he could reach. He tried ignoring the fact he was no doubt going to be covered in bruises if he survived this.

Just then he felt the snow shift and suddenly he and Logan were falling further down the hill, trees, bushes and rocks sailing past them.

 They skidded to a halt at the bottom of the hill, both trying to catch their breath. His limbs shaking Nick got up on his hands and knees, staring at Logan with antagonism as the wolverine slowly got up. Nick looked around him for a weapon.

            Logan glared at him but didn’t moved forward to Nick, instead starting to climb up the hill, panic sent Nick up to his feet and running after the wolverine, but Logan spun around at an alarming speed and punched Nick in the snout, sending him back to the ground.

 “You don’t know when to quit,” the wolverine growled.

Nick looked up at him, examining the mammal’s body for weak points. An idea formed in his head, an idea he hated but could think of nothing better as Logan turned around to start his climb up.

 _Oh the things I do in the name of good_ , Nick thought to himself before he leaned forward and bit Logan’s tail, hard.

 The wolverine screeched in pain and Nick immediately released him, spitting and gagging at the taste of the mammal’s fur. Logan whirled around, his eyes wide, and dove for the fox, Nick rolling away just in time. He jumped to his feet and ran, Logan chasing after him. Nick ended up tripping in the snow and the wolverine managed to jump on top of him, pinning him down onto his back.

 Nick struggled under the mamma’s greater weight and looking around frantically, behind Logan he spotted a rock…

 “That shrew had no right to fire me,” the wolverine snarled, “ _No one_ fires me and gets away with it!”

 “You are the worse bad guy I’ve ever faced,” Nick growled. “But you are right about one thing.”

Logan narrowed his eyes, “What?”

“I don’t know when to _quit_!” At the last word Nick pulled his feet back and kicked Logan straight into the gut, the wolverine gasping out loud and releasing Nick to cradle his stomach, trying to catch his breath.

 Nick didn’t waste time, copying Judy he slammed his whole body into the wolverine, the momentum sending him off his feet and falling to the ground. There was a loud thump as Logan hit his head on the rock Nick had spotted and immediately blacked out.

            Nick quickly stepped away, catching his breath and waiting for the wolverine to get back up, but he was out cold. The blizzard was starting to calm down and Nick looked up the hill, making out the black of the limo. He started his climb back.

 

.

 

            Fru Fru let out another cry of pain and Judy offered more words of comfort, trying to keep her frazzled nerves under control. So many doubts were flying through her head, what if Fru Fru didn’t make it because of her? What if they lost the baby? What if Nick was dead out in the snow and the wolverine was about to crash through the limo’s window.

 “Just one more push, Fru, you can do it,” Judy urged her, managing to keep her voice from cracking.

            A knock on the door had her tense muscles going stiff and she stared at the door in terror, but then a voice spoke: “Carrots, it’s okay. Let me in.”

Judy nearly burst into tears as she quickly hurried over and unlocked the door, allowing Nick to climb, covered in snow and fur a mess, he shut the door behind him and relocked it.

 “Where’s the wolverine?” she asked him, resisting the urge to squeeze the life out of him in relief.

“In the snow out cold,” Nick replied then grinned his usual grin which was exactly what Judy needed. “Pardon the pun.”

“Well, come here, it’s almost time,” Judy told him. She turned around just as a baby’s crying filled the vehicle.

The two crawled over to Fru Fru who now cradled a damp baby in her arms, her eyes filled with tears and shining with absolute love.

“We need something to cut the umbilical cord,” Judy realized.

“Check the glove compartment,” Fru Fru replied, not taking her eyes off her baby. “Daddy usually keeps a switch blade in there.” Nick and Judy shared a glance before Nick fetched the blade which was, in fact, in the glove compartment. With the cord cut Judy looked around for something to clean the baby with, Nick’s ears pricked and then reached into his pocket, pulling out his red handkerchief.

Judy took it, nodding gratefully before gently taking the baby from Fru Fru. Judy beamed down at her tiny goddaughter as she cleaned her up, wrapping her up in the handkerchief before handing her back to her mother. “She’s beautiful. Looks just like her mother.”

Fru Fru smiled and gazed adoringly down at her baby, “Hi, Judy. Welcome home.”

 Judy pulled Fru Fru into her lap and smiled down at the baby, “Hi, Judy. This is your godmother speaking, just letting you know that you just came into a huge world with so many possibilities and I’m going to help you try them all.”

She and Fru Fru looked to Nick who blinked, staring back at them before realization kicked in. “Oh!” he crawled over and pulled Judy into his lap, his fur was still slightly chilly from the snow but Judy welcomed the feel of it against her back.

“Hi, Judy, kiddo,” Nick spoke to the baby shrew awkwardly, “I-um, don’t think I have any words of wisdom, none appropriate for a newborn infant anyway. But I will tell you, you are the second Judy I know and hopefully you’ll drive me less crazy than the first one.”

 Judy rolled her eyes, Fru Fru giggled, and baby Judy yawned before snuggling into the handkerchief and falling asleep.

 “Are you okay,” Judy asked Fru Fru, holding her friend closer, anxiety still prickling her fur.

But Fru Fru nodded. “Just tired,” She punctuated the words with a yawn.

“Get some sleep,” Judy told her, “Nick and I will stay up.”

“But the wolverine…”

“He’s seeing stars right now,” Nick assured her, “He’s not getting in this limo.”

The arctic shrew finally nodded and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost instantly with her baby pressed against her chest.

            Judy let out a heavy breath and leaned her cheek against Nick’s chest, taking comfort from the fox’s steady heartbeat.

“You okay?” he breathed, wrapping his tail around her, Fru Fru, and the baby.

“Don’t do that again,” Judy told him, her eyes drooped, her frazzled nerves had left her exhausted but she wouldn’t go to sleep.

“Do what?” Nick asked.

“Force me to abandon you like that,” Judy buried her face into the fox’s fur, taking in the usual scent of him that was now coated with the scent of winter. “That was terrifying.”

“Then next time don’t leave us alone with a pregnant mammal,” Nick replied with a small shiver.

Judy smiled and looked up at him, “You did panic for a second there, didn’t you?”

“I almost fainted more than once.”

Judy laughed quietly, “How do you expect to be a good father if you can’t be there in the waiting room.”

 Nick didn’t answer, his brow furrowed as he looked at her strangely, Judy wondered what she said wrong.

“I don’t know if I’m much for kids,” he finally said, breaking their gaze to look down at the baby shrew.

 “Oh, come on,” Judy smiled down at her goddaughter, “She’s perfect.”

“And I bet you’re going to make her as wild as you,” Nick chuckled, his chest rumbling against Judy’s back.

“I’m proud of you, Carrots,” he added after a few moments of silence. She smiled up at him, “I’m proud of you too. It was very brave of you to fight that wolverine.”

“I wasn’t trying to be brave,” he tightened his arms around her, “I was just trying to protect you three.”

Warmth filled Judy’s chest, “You did that… I’m glad I dragged you along.” Nick didn’t answer, instead laying his head between her ears.

            They stayed like that for a few minutes, Nick’s body curled around her as she listened to the steady drum of his heartbeat and Fru Fru slept her exhaustion away.

The baby woke up at one point and her nose wiggled as she sniffed the air. Judy reached a finger out to caress the baby’s face. “I already love you, little Judy,” she breathed. “Don’t you worry; I’m going to be the best godmother _ever_.”

As Nick still had his chin atop her head Judy didn’t know if he had fallen asleep or not, but if he was awake he offered no comment.

            A furious knocking on the window had Fru Fru startling awake and Nick pulling them behind him, glaring at the door.

“Fru Fru!” a voice called, “Are you in there?”

“Raymond!” Fru Fru cried out in relief. Help had arrived.

 

.

 

            Raymond had been traveling with Mr. Big who was overjoyed to see his daughter and granddaughter safe.

They were taken to the hospital where Fru Fru and the baby were checked over, both perfectly fine much to everyone’s relief. Judy made Nick get a check up to make sure Logan hadn’t broken anything.

Speaking of, he and Kevin had minor concussions that were nothing too serious. A doctor called it in and the ZPD ended up carting the wolverine away, saving him from whatever fate Mr. Big had had in store for him.

            Fru Fru’s husband and relatives arrived to see the new baby, Judy and Nick keeping a respectable distance.

“By the way,” Judy whispered to her partner as Mr. Big tenderly held his granddaughter. “I told Mr. Big what you did, he totally loves you now.”

Nick rolled his eyes in disbelief, “Can we go yet? I’m tired and cold.” Judy looked to Fru Fru, surrounded by friends and family, safe. She nodded, “Let’s go.”

Judy caught Fru Fru’s eve and waved, the arctic shrew smiled, gratefulness in her eyes as she waved back. Before Judy left she caught one last look at her goddaughter.

 _Welcome to Zootopia, Judy_.

 

 

 

 


	14. Tiny Hoarder & The Freshman Cherry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One shot of my band AU

Nick realized, staring up at the smoggy night sky, that he was a pushover.

It was a Saturday night and he had been having a perfectly grand time being miserable with the rest of his band mates. Lounging in their rented house’s garage, cigarette smoke from Finnick filling the room along with the strum of Honey’s guitar and the scent of Flash’s moon cakes.

They usually spent their Saturdays in a gloom and doom mood as they had, yet again, failed to get a gig. And Nick had been _perfectly_ content to lie sprawled on the creaky couch all night but then Winter Storme (Honey’s gal and the one vixen who wasn’t charmed by him in the slightest) had popped up and somehow convinced them to come to a frat party, a frat party that had the _AUDACITY_ to have a _DJ_ instead of a band.

Seeing this Nick had given a resounding “Fuck this!” and took up a vacant lawn chair in the front lawn while his friends did their own thing inside.

            Sliding on his dark aviators he stared up at the sky, behind him the bass of the music threatened to shake the house down. Couples of all kinds were on the wrap around porch of the frat house and lawn, making out and fondling each other and Nick was jealous. He wondered if Sue was around.

The cheerleader was a gorgeous vixen who enjoyed his company in a very fun ‘adult’ way, especially when she had a few drinks in her. Nick wouldn’t really call her a girlfriend since they didn’t go on dates but Nick definitely didn’t need that level to have some knot-y fun.

“Oh, that’s good,” he breathed to himself, curling his lips up into a grin. “I gotta write that one down could be in one of our more explicit CDs.”

            “Excuse me?”

Nick sat up from where he lounged on the chair, pulling his aviators up to rest atop his head.

Before him was a bunny he had never seen before. She wore a green sweater and orange skirt that reached her ankles (they still made those?) and had soft looking gray fur and violet eyes that were shielded by matching half-moon glasses.

Nick smiled, “Yeah, sweetheart?”

“I-uh, I hate to bother you,” she began softly, her clasped paws held over her stomach. “But I was looking for my new roommate-I just moved to the dorms-do you know if Dawn Bellwether is in there?”

Nick chuckled, “Trust me, darling, a frat party is the last place where you’ll find Snooty Smellwether.”

The rabbit looked affronted by his wording of the ewe but didn’t comment on it, instead her velvety ears drooped. “Our room is locked and I can’t get my own key until morning. I was hoping to find her so I can unpack my bags.”

“Feel free to wait here,” Nick offered even though it really wasn’t his place. “Socialize a while. You’ll regret not doing that once you start living with Captain of the Earth Club.”

“There’s nothing wrong with keeping the earth healthy,” the bunny replied.

“Oh, man,” Nick shook his head with amusement. “Who guards you miss…?”

“My name is Judy,” she nodded to him before allowing her brow to wrinkle, “What do you mean by guard?”

“Nick Wilde. And you’re exactly the kind of animal who needs a chaperone,” he informed her with a lazy grin. Imagining what more… _wicked_ animals would think of doing to her. A wicked fox he was not.

“I don’t need a chaperone,” Judy huffed, making her cheeks puff out adorably. “I’m eighteen.”

 _Oh, wow_ , Nick tried not to laugh. “Listen Cherry,” he began, calling her cherry cause she so obviously was one, no buck had yet wrestled with her under the sheets. “The path you’re currently standing on leads to the dorm, if Bellwether is around then she _has_ to pass by here. So why not stay awhile?”

In truth Nick was fascinated, he knew so few virgins. He wanted to mess with her.

“I suppose that’s better than walking around in the dark,” she shrugged.

 “Atta girl,” he offered his paw as if for a shake. When Judy accepted it he pulled her to him. “Sit with me,” he said a moment before she plopped onto his lap.

            She had instantly tensed up, her ears a faint shade of red. “I-I don’t really need to sit in your lap! I’m too heavy.”

“Nonsense,” he flashed his lady-winning grin at her, “You’re light as a feather, and _warm_ , just what I needed.”

Judy swallowed but he could tell she wanted to appear causal, “So…uh, Nick. What’s your major?”

“Technically business but I prefer to think that spiritually I’m a musical major.”

He took note of the way her eyes flashed with interest, she cocked her head to the side, moving slightly in his lap and Nick liked the friction.

“You like music?”  “I’m the lead singer of a band,” he tilted his chin up, not afraid to fluff out his feathers. “It’s called Tiny Hoarder.”

“Congratulations,” she replied which Nick found an odd thing to say. Not like he said they were successful.

“Do you play anywhere?”

And just like that the conversation plummeted on the fun poll. “Not exactly.” ”Well, if you do I’d love to come see you play once I’m settled in.”

“Hmm, how sweet of you.” Eager to take the reins back he grabbed one of Judy’s ears, making her blush even more as he ran his paw over the pink underside. “What’s _your_ major, Cherry?”

“Oh, I’m-I’m in law,” she answered a little breathlessly. “But I’m a really big fan of music.”  “Huh,” Nick kept his eyes on the ear he stroked, wondering if all of her body was this soft.

“But why do you call me Cherry?” Judy asked out of the blue.

Nick smirked at her, “Isn’t it obvious?”

When she just frowned Nick wondered if she was even real. After all weren’t bunnies suppose to be like sex machines or something? He slid a claw under her chin and she blinked, shivering slightly. “It means,” he began, “That all the boy sin your home town are idiots who are either blind or have bad taste, not snatching you up while they had the chance.”

She giggled and it reminded him of wind chimes. “You’re sweet.”

 _If you only knew_ , Nick winked, “Not everyday I get to converse with a cute little bunny.”

Judy blushed harder; Nick glanced at her too long skirt, wondering if her legs and thighs were as soft as her ears.

“I appreciate what you’re trying to say,” she remarked bashfully. “But most rabbits aren’t very fond of being called cute.”

“Okay,” he replied then leaned forward so his nose brushed hers. “Then it’s not everyday I get to converse with a _beautiful_ little bunny.”

 He tried not to laugh at her expression and his eyes went to her slightly opened mouth. He wondered…

Judy’s arms suddenly shot out when Nick had inched forward. His eyes widened as for a moment he thought she meant to strangle him. But no she only fixed his loosened tie before making a point of turning her head away, red as a chili pepper.

Nick snickered, looking her up and down. Maybe coming to a suckish frat party hadn’t been such a bad idea.

“You’re silly,” Judy breathed, a smile lifting up the lips he had attempted to taste.

            “Nicky,” a new smoky voice spoke up and the fox grinned.

Judy jumped off his lap as a vixen in short shorts and a shirt that showed off her slim midriff showed up.

Nick slid up to his feet, “Sue, you look ravishing tonight, darlin.”

He felt Judy’s eyes on him as the vixen sauntered over, not even noticing the bunny as she flung her arms around Nick’s neck. “I saw Finnick inside. He told me you were out here, why didn’t you come hunt me down?”

“You know I’m allergic to DJs,” Nick reminded her with his half-lidded eyes and a lazy smirk.

Sue leaned closer, “But aren’t I worth it?” She didn’t give Nick a chance to come up with a witty reply, pushing her mouth against his.

Sue wasn’t one for small pecks on the lips, she stuck her tongue down your throat as soon as possible, something Nick didn’t mind. But tonight he couldn’t help opening his eye a slit and glancing toward Judy.

The rabbit jolted when they made eye contact, ears still red, and her expression was a mixture of mortification and indignation. Clearly she had taken his flirting too seriously.

He kept a laugh in his throat as she stomped off.

            Nick spent the next several minutes sharing the chair with a needy Sue before Finnick came out and told them it was time to go (sending a look of dislike at Sue as he did so). Nick asked if the vixen wanted to spend the night as his place, she said she had to get back to her dorm to study for a test.

Translation: We might pass someone I know and I don’t want my friends to know I’m sleeping with someone like you.

But Nick was used to it and bid her farewell as he followed Finnick, Winter and Honey, who was carrying Flash on her back, waiting for them on the drive way.

 “You okay Hundred Yard Dash?” Nick asked the sloth as Tiny Hoarder plus one made their way down the street back to their mediocre living quarters.

“I’m…swell…” Flash replied easily, not looking like he got a hold of any alcohol or drugs.

“I’m tired and I’m not waiting the hour it takes for him to walk home,” Honey informed him, punctuating her words with a yawn.

“Well I do appreciate you guys coming to the party,” Winter told the four. “It’s not healthy being cooped up in that garage all day.”

“We’re artists, Winter,” Finnick said from around an unlit cigarette, “We’re not supposed to be healthy.”  “And we do go out,” Nick replied.

“Bars and once in a while gigs don’t count,” the arctic fox pointed out.

Nick snorted, _Maybe not to you_.

            “Who’s…that?” Flash slowly lifted a claw to point forward, the group following his claw to see a long-eared figure a little farther down the street.

Nick broke in a huge grin, “Cherry!”

Judy jumped and whirled around, her ears blushing when she spotted Nick, “H-Hello.”

“Long time no see,” he teased, walking over to stand before her. His smirk was in check though he took note her violet eyes weren’t as open as before.

“It’s only been a few minutes, thirty top,” she replied.

“Who’s this Nick?” Honey asked as his friends crowded around him to get a look at the freshman. Judy took a step back.

Nick waved a paw toward her, “This is my new friend Cherry.”

“My name is not Cherry and we barely know each other,” the rabbit said with bluntness. “My name is Judy Hopps and at most we’re acquaintances.”

“Nick gets a lot of those,” Winter chuckled before introducing herself. The others followed suit.

“Isn’t it a little late to be walking around here?” Finnick asked, glancing around. The few houses on the streets had pitch black windows.

“I know,” Judy’s expression turned wary. “But I still haven’t found my roommate and I kinda…lost my way.”

She let out a sigh, “So far this has been a not so good first day.”

“The night’s still young,” Nick pointed out.

“It’s one in the morning,” Finnick replied and Nick smacked him with his tail.

“The night’s still young,” he repeated, “You can have a blast and hang out with us, spend the night at our place and you can get your room key tomorrow.”

Judy looked at the fox cautiously and Honey broke into laughter, “Don’t worry sugar.” She winked, “We’re good at keeping Nick in check.”

“And it’s…too…dark…for you…to be…alone,” Flash added.

“Well…” Judy caved, “If it isn’t a bother I’d appreciate it.”

“Of course it’s no bother,” Nick assured as he slung his arm around Judy’s shoulder and led her down the street to his house. “Hey, you can even check out the garage where all the magic happens.” She glanced at him, her muscles constricted under his arm, “Magic?”

“Remember I lead a band,” he jogged her memory, jerking his thumb to his friends. “These are my band mates, except for Winter. She’s just a squatter.”

“Oh,” Judy replied and said no more until they reached the house with it’s peeling paint and missing a few shingles roof. “Nice place.”

“You’re a nice liar,” Finnick replied. Meanwhile Honey placed Flash down so she could open the garage door; they stopped using the front door three days upon moving in (the hinges were rusted beyond repair).

            Judy stepped into the garage, noticing the old couch, arm chair, and plastic chair that sat in a sort of circle around a coffee table with ring stains and covered in scribbled paper, dirty ash trays, and moon cake trash.

But Judy’s eyes were on Honey’s guitar that took up most of the couch, blood red and covered in pictures of adorable animals. She walked over to examine in with an almost critical eye before noticing Finnick’s drums in the corner of the garage, standing next to Flash’s pitch black bass.

 She smiled over at them, “Your instruments are in good shape.”

“Thank you,” Nick replied, taking the empty space on the couch. Considering he saw himself as his own instrument he took those words as Judy complimenting his good looks. It had only been a matter of time before she did so.

 “You sound like you know your instruments,” Honey remarked, moving her guitar so Judy could sit down. The rabbit didn’t look overly thrilled to sit by Nick but didn’t want to be rude. The fox scooted closer to her when she sat down on the very edge of the couch.

“I know a little…” she said bashfully, messing with the sleeve of her scarf. It was then Nick realized she had the color scheme of a rabbit.

“Now, exactly _how_ did you meet Nick?” Finnick asked, finally lighting his cigarette and claiming the arm chair as his own.

“Uh, I was just looking for my new roommate, that’s all,” Judy said and Nick could take a hint. No mentioning how she was _totally_ charmed by his flirting. At least not while she was there.

 “Who’s your roommate?” Winter asked. Honey had sat cross-legged before the coffee table and the vixen now sat in her lap.

“Dawn Bellwether,” Judy said then blinked at the cringe the entire room shared. “Is she really that bad?”

“Not bad per say,” Honey was trying to find the right words, “Just…uppity.”  “Especially around the likes of us,” Finnick said, smoke leaking out from between his teeth. “But then, that’s a lot of animals at this college.”

“Oh?” Judy frowned.

The fennec shrugged, “A dead beat band isn’t the most admirable of animals, Hopps.”

“We are not dead beat,” Nick snapped, “We are young college students who just haven’t been discovered yet.” He looked to Judy, “If you heard us you’d know we’re meant to be on stage like Lion Zepplin or My Rabid Romance.” He pointed to Honey, “In fact, Honey Bunches grab your guitar let’s give Cherry a show.”

“Nick, I’m _tired_ ,” the badger moaned, resting her chin on Winter’s shoulder. The vixen was looking through the scribbles left on the table.

“But _Honey_ ,” he whined.

“I can come listen some other time,” Judy offered. “As soon as I settle in, I promise.”

Nick sighed, disappointed but didn’t argue. At least that meant he was assured to see her again, he’d make her fulfill that promise.

            “But speaking of tired let’s get some sleep,” Finnick replied, snuffing his cigarette out in one of the most clean ash trays.

“Come on, Judy, I can get the couch ready for you,” Honey offered as she and Winter got to their feet.

“Thank you,” Judy replied as she moved to follow the two.

Nick smirked at her tail, “We’d offer to share a bed but Finnick snores, Flash sleep walks and Winter and Honey share a bed so no room.” When Judy looked back at him he bared his teeth in a seductive grin, “Of course _my_ room is basically the Ritz.”

“ _Nick_.” His four friends growled before Honey hurried the blushing Judy inside.

The fox laughed, glancing at Flash who was the only other one in the garage, slowing rising to his feet, “Ready to go inside when you are buddy.”

 

.

 

            Nick’s dreams that night were filled with drunk vixens and cottontails and for once he wasn’t reluctant to get out of bed, hoping to catch Judy before she left.

The bunny was already up and helping Winter fix pancakes in the kitchen. Finnick enjoying a morning smoke while reading the newspaper he always ‘borrowed’ from their neighbor.

“Morning,” Winter told Nick and Judy offered him a hesitant smile.

“I didn’t think you’d still be here,” Nick said, pulling up a seat next to Finnick.

Judy took his words the wrong way, sending him an apologetic look, “I just wanted to help make breakfast as a thank you.”

“I told her you liked blueberries,” Winter told him, placing the breakfast on the table. “So she showed me how to make homemade blueberry pancakes.”

Nick’s tail nearly wagged, “Really?”

“It’s a family recipe,” Judy explained, wiping the flour off her paws with a towel.

            By the time Honey and Flash woke up the pancakes were finished and Judy was complimented over and over again, each time the bunny bashfully waved the words away, saying it was thanks to her mother’s teachings that they turned out so well.

But then all too soon her phone buzzed and she had to bid them farewell.

 “I left my bags by my room’s door and apparently that’s causing a traffic jam in the hallway.” She stood up and smiled at the group, “Thank you so much for letting me spend the night, I appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” Honey welcomed and Nick nodded enthusiastically, busy chewing his blueberry pancakes that reminded him of sugar-filled mornings as a kit.

With another smile Judy walked to the front door, before any of them could say it was messed up she opened the door and closed it behind her with ease, leaving them blinking, impressed.

            A second later Finnick pointed his fork at Nick, “No.”

The fox blinked again, “Excuse me?”

“That’s a good girl,” he pointed to where Judy had vanished, “Which means you don’t get to sleep with her.”

“Now hold on,” Nick began, seeing his friends all turn glares on him. “When did this become a thing? I’m a free fox I can do what I wish, and it’s really up to fate anyway-”

“Uh, no,” Finnick interrupted him. “It’s not, it’s up to if you can keep your paws to yourself and not do whatever it is you do to get girls to sleep with you.”

“You guys never complain when I have Sue over,” Nick pointed out.

“It disgusts us, rest assured,” Honey told him. “But we don’t like her, we _like_ Judy and we don’t want you deflowering her to ruin what could be a good friend.”  “Yes, I’m tired of being the only non band member in this group,” Winter added.

“And she’s a good cook,” Finnick stated the obvious, “I want her to cook for us again but she won’t if you and your dick go and break her heart like I _know_ you’re planning to do.”

 “Okay, okay,” Nick relented as he stood up to go get changed. He held a paw over his heart and lifted two fingers, “Scout’s honor, I won’t screw Judy Hopps.”

 With that said he walked back to his room, as soon as the door closed behind him he turned his lips up into a devious grin.

“ _Yet_.”

           

 

           


	15. Thick Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to Paper Thin Walls
> 
> Nick and Judy are still tip-toeing around the possibility their friendship might evolve into romance when the fox invites her to his family reunion for spring break where Nick's relatives aren't the most fond of the college fox bringing home a mammal known for their baby making.
> 
> Commissioned by misterparanoia on Tumblr.

Fru Fru's smug smirk burned into Judy's back as the bunny packed some clothes and other necessities for spring break. The shrew let out a squeaky giggle, "Are you going to bring protection or will Nick?"

Judy's ears burned bright red and she whirled around to glare at her friend, "No, we aren't bringing anything because we're not a couple. He just invited me to spend break with his family. _Platonically_."

By Fru Fru's expression she didn't believe one word that came out of her roommate's mouth. "Sure, I know plenty of boys who invite unrelated, pretty girls to their home. To meet the parents and aunts and uncles. That's totally a platonic thing to do, a boy getting his Momma's blessing to date a girl."

Judy didn't reply, turning back to her packing. In truth, she'd like nothing more than for Fru Fru to be correct. That Nick was bringing her along to introduce her to his family, show off the rabbit who he was about to ask to be his girlfriend. Judy was glad they both decided to just be friends at first, getting to know each other. But Judy had already been head over heels before they became friends, now, after getting to know Nick even better, spend nights studying and laughing and talking about serious things. Judy had fallen even harder for the fox.

But still, Nick was her friend and she wanted to make a good, well-behaved impression to his family. So she'd swallow her feelings and keep them in deep for as long as it took. Even if it was for the rest of her-

"You should tell him how you feel."

Judy looked over her shoulder, Fru Fru's expression was now much more serious, eyes bright with genuine care and concern for her friend. "I've done that before," Judy reminded her. "It was mortifying."

Fru Fru shook her head, "That was before you two became real friends and spent all this time together. You can't fool me Judy, I know you're still in love with him. And I know it hurts you to keep it all bottled up. You should try and confess again during break."

"And what if he says no?" Judy demanded. "Then I'll have lost one of my best friends. I can't do that, Fru Fru."

"You also can't pretend that everything's perfect when it's not."

.

Nick was more quiet than usual as they rode the bus to his old family home. It was an age old mansion out in the countryside, his great, great, grandfather had saved every penny he owned to buy it for his family, and the Wildes had kept it in perfect shape since. Nick's grandparents were in charge of the place, but his parents would soon be moving in to help take care of both the house and his grandparents.

"Is there anything I need to brace myself for when we arrive?" she asked at one point in the quiet ride. "I know if this was my family we were visiting I'd have a whole list for you."

Nick's lips turned up slightly into a smile and it made her wilt with relief. "I think we'll be fine," Nick reassured her. "At most they'll ask you what you're majoring in and then leave you alone. We're an introverted lot, we only do these reunions out of moral obligation."

"So you're the only clingy one?" she teased, remembering that had been an exact word the fox had used to describe himself.

"Me, my Mom, and my Grandpa. You'll like them. My mom's making a vegetarian meal for you."

"That's so sweet," Judy gushed, feeling warm at the kindly gesture. It also put her at ease, the closer they got to the Wilde estate the more nervous she became. With the exception of the Grey family back at Bunnyburrow she didn't have much experience around foxes until she met Nick. And she hadn't exactly given her parents the details of this trip. Her father would lose his mind if he found out his daughter was spending spring break in a den of foxes.

Then there was the fact she hadn't decided if she was going to confess to Nick or not. _I mean...surely he knows I still feel the same_. She glanced at him, Nick's eyes were now closed, one ear phone plugged in as he listened to music to pass the time. No, he probably didn't. He probably assumed she had grown out of it. He wouldn't have invited her to his home otherwise, surely. He had once made a point of apologizing for the mixed signals he had given her before they became close friends. Now she wondered if she would need to apologize for still liking him...

.

There was someone waiting for them at the bus stop when Nick and Judy arrived in the countryside that had far less open fields than Bunnyburrow.

It was a vixen leaning against a black car, a few years older than Nick but not nearly old enough to be a mother or aunt. She wore a sapphire sweater and black tights, and her expression was childishly smug when her brown eyes caught sight of Nick. The fox beside Judy let out a sigh that was more of a groan.

"Who's that?" Judy asked him as they made their way to the vixen.

"My cousin, Joanna." He groaned again, "She's unpleasant."

Before Judy could ask for details they were in front of Joanna who pulled lips back to reveal her sharp teeth. Judy believed she was smiling but couldn't be certain. "Nicky-boo!" Joanna crooned, "You've gotten shorter!"

Nick's smile was plastic, "And you're not pregnant!"

Judy blinked, startled by his words and the animosity between the two foxes and she suddenly didn't want to get into the car with them. Joanna's eyes suddenly turned to Judy and the rabbit bristled. "Who's the rabbit? I know she's not your girlfriend. That would mean you're actually likable."

"You would know _all_ about being likable wouldn't you, Jo-Jo?" Nick barked back. " _All_ the boys in the county like you."

"I'm Judy," the rabbit stepped forward, scared Joanna would try and scratch her cousin. "Nick and I are next door neighbors. At the college."

Joanna's eyes turned to Judy and she instantly regretted it, she'd never seen such dislike directed at her. Where all of Nick's relatives going to look at her like that? Judy wouldn't survive. But the vixen just shrugged and turned around, "Let's just get to the house."

Joanna took the driver seat, Nick crowding into the backseat with Judy, both eager to be nowhere near the vixen. He gave her a sympathetic/apologetic look as Judy practically curled into herself, nerves twisting her gut. Nick would owe her big time if all his relatives started to bare her teeth at her.

.

Despite the fear bubbling in her stomach Judy couldn't keep her jaw from dropping as they stepped out of the car and stood before the Wilde mansion. It was massive! And could hit at least 60% of her family in there, easy.

"You like it?" Nick asked, stepping up beside her.

Judy smiled at him, "It's _beautiful_!"

The fox smiled, looking relieved that his friend approved of his family home. Joanna passed them, making a show of rolling her eyes at the two before marching inside. Nick glared at her until she vanished before turning back to Judy. "I'm so sorry about her. I'd figure she'd be too busy bothering me to even notice you. I promise everyone else will be much better behaved."

Judy reached out and placed her paw upon his, offering him a reassuring smile, "As long as you and me get to hang out, I'm happy." Nick squeezed her paw for a moment, returning the smile before letting go and heading inside. Judy tried to ignore how cold her paw now felt.

Inside she was met with the sound of quiet conversation, foxes broken up into pairs of twos and threes. It was so less boisterous than Judy's family, giant groups all huddled together, practically yelling over each other. It was crazy, but it was home and it made her feel a little lonely. That was partly the reason she took a step closer to Nick, the other part being everyone had noticed the two walk in and all eyes immediately went to the bunny in the foyer.

She swallowed, trying to think of what words she should push out of her dry throat but then-out of the room that must've been a kitchen-came a vixen with strands of gray fur on her muzzle, and her eyes the exact same shade of green as Nick's. She broke into a delighted smile when she spotted the fox and it put Judy more at ease.

"Nick!" She ran over and pulled him into a hug, nearly smothering him against her chest.

"Mom!" Nick gushed, his ears flaring red but his smile happy, "You're embarrassing me!"

"That's my job!" she teased, kissing his forehead. She finally pulled back, holding his shoulders as she got a good look at him, "You're too skinny. You're not eating enough."

"I'm just naturally skinny, Mom," he replied, his tail twitching.

Judy stood up straight when Nick's mother turned her attention to the bunny, and nearly fell down in relief when the fox smiled sincerely at her, reaching out and grabbing her paws. "You must be Judy. Oh, Nick's told me all about you!"

"He did?" Judy breathed, noticing Nick's sudden terrified face and feeling a twinge of hope.

"It's lovely to have you here," she told Judy. "My name's Amelia." She pulled her arm around the rabbit's shoulder and faced the crowd of red-furred onlookers. "Everyone say hi to Judy!"

"Hi, Judy," came the awkward, monotone reply as a dozen foxes obeyed Amelia. Judy would take it.

Amelia grabbed Nick's paw and practically dragged both college kids into the kitchen, "Come on, come on, we've been cooking and everyone has missed my little baby and we want to know everything that's been going on at college!"

.

For the next few days Judy's anxiety waned, getting used to be around these foxes. Amelia Wilde and her father, Grandpa Wilde, as he called, we're the best part after Nick. Both foxes so sweet and considerate, making sure some of the...lesser welcoming foxes, didn't make her feel too out of place. Still Judy spent most of the time with Nick as he told his family about his classes, about Finnick, playing with his younger cousins, staying out during the starry nights with just her, talking about anything and everything...except their relationship.

It was during those nightly talks that Judy told herself now is the time. Tell him. Get it over with. He had to know. She couldn't keep torturing herself like this. Spending time with Nick and his family was showing a different side of Nick, a part of him that was comfortable around his aunts and uncles, embarrassed yet loving toward his mother, even snarky toward his cousin. It made him more...in Judy's opinion, amazing. And her heart was starting to hurt every time he looked at her and smiled.

Then one night everything went downhill.

She was alone in her guest room, reading to pass the time while Nick went with his mother to the grocery store. They had invited her along but Judy politely declined, wanting to let the mother and son spend some time together. She was appreciating the quiet, causally noticing how thick the mansion's walls were. Nothing like the thin walls back at the dorms.

But Judy had excellent hearing.

"Out of all things a bunny."

Recognizing the voice of Nick's Aunt Matilda Judy pressed her ears against the wall. She heard Nick's father speak next, "She seems like a nice girl."

"Bunnies are all _nice_. And I'm sure she's being extra nice, considering we have a mansion."

Judy's brow furrowed. What was Matilda saying? She hadn't been overly nice to the rabbit but she had been polite enough.

"Nick told us they're just friends. He just wanted to have someone to talk to while he's down here," Mr. Wilde replied.

"He has his family, and if he needed a 'friend' he could've brought that annoying little fennec. Bunnies can't be 'just friends'."

"Matilda..."

"We shouldn't have to put up with it, you know how hard it is to pretend like I don't know that Nick is keeping her around because she puts out? My God, how many siblings did she say she have? Apples don't fall far from the tree."

Judy was positive Matilda had _plenty_ more to say about Judy and her family but the rabbit was already out her room, running down the hall, past that room, past family members that looked concerned but Judy couldn't look even Grandpa Wilde in the eye. Instead she ran outside, wanting to run far, far away, back to college. But she made do with running into the trees, not going to far before entering a very small clearing. A small pond and large rocks bathed in moonlight, it looked familiar and Judy remembered Nick had spoken of this place. His old childhood hang out, he had spent so much time here as a kit.

Judy sat on one of the rocks, pulling her legs up to hug them against her chest, burying her face against her knees. It had only been a conversation between two foxes yet she felt so mortified. Did Nick's _entire_ family think that of her? Thought he had just brought a rabbit to put out during spring break? They were wrong but Judy still felt a wave of shame. She didn't see Nick platonically, she wanted to date him. That, with Matilda's words running over and over and over in her head, Judy felt sick.

She laid on the rock, curling into a ball and trying to keep her mind blank. She didn't know how much time had passed when suddenly a voice startled her, she jerked up to see Nick standing a few feet away and looking absolutely _furious_.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" he demanded, baring his teeth. He was breathing fast, as if he had been running. "I've been looking for you for hours! No one knows where you went!"

"Somehow I don't think any one really cared where I went," Judy replied, unable to keep her mouth shut.

Nick blinked, that apparently being the last thing he expected to hear. "Excuse me?"

Judy sucked in a deep breath, "I have flawless hearing so I got to hear all about how your Aunt Matilda thinks I'm having sex with you like the rest of my loose, lustful family."

Again that was the last thing Nick expected to hear. "My aunt said that?"

Judy nodded, breaking her eyes away from him as the mortification and shame that she had beat down rose back up to drown her. "And I don't know if you know this but hearing mammals say that you're some horny random girl that's just around for sex is really, _really_ hurtful."

Tears that she had managed to hold back this entire time suddenly arrived, streaming down her cheeks as she tried to hide her face. "And-and then you just sit here, out in the cold-feeling like maybe she was right because I'm still in love with you Nick and I don't think I'll ever stop and I don't think I ever will." Her throat closed and she couldn't bring any more words out, instead sniffling and trying to wipe away the tears.

She felt Nick sit beside her, an awful silence falling between them. "I'm sorry Judy..." he finally spoke. "My aunt shouldn't have said those things. It was wrong of her, _she_ was wrong."

Judy was starting to calm down, and when she did she realized she had just confessed to the fox. And not in the way she had planned. "I shouldn't have said anything." She stood up, seriously considering running until she got back to her dorm room. "I'm sorry I'll just-" She looked around, she couldn't go back to the mansion. "I'll just-"

"I overheard you talking to Fru Fru the day we left," Nick admitted. "That you still have feelings for me."

Judy swallowed, keeping her back to him. "Right. Paper thin walls..."

"Carrots..." His paw was suddenly holding her wrist.

"You don't have to say anything," Judy quickly said. "I didn't want to-I mean I wasn't planning...I just..." She rubbed at her eyes again, the tears returning just after they left. "I'm sorry Nick."

A few agonizing long seconds later and Nick was pressed against her back, wrapping his arms around her in a hug, resting his chin between her ears. Judy couldn't breathe as he spoke, "I've been thinking about it too, honestly. What we should do."

"And?"

"I'm scared," Nick replied. "Like I said relationships are hard for me. But..."

He hesitated and Judy dared to speak, "But?"

"I love you too, Carrots. I think I've had for a few months now."

Judy sucked in a breath. Had she heard him correctly? Did he really... She moved to face him, ready to ask-to make absolutely positively sure that he meant it-and Nick kissed her. She had been cold from staying out so long, but with Nick's arms wrapped around her and his lips pressed against her, his confession ripe in her ears, she felt so warm.

He pulled away and pressed his nose against hers, "If it's okay with you. I'd like to take you out after spring break. I want to take you somewhere nice for a first date."

That was officially her second favorite sentence, right after "I love you too, Carrots." "We can go anywhere, I don't care. As long as its with you."

Nick nuzzled into her neck, "Sappy. You know, there'll be no living with our roommates when we get back."

Judy giggled, "Maybe-maybe we should get back. I'm cold.... You don't have to tell your family if you're not ready."

Nick linked his arm around her waist as they headed back to the mansion, "No, I'm telling all of them. And having a very serious talk with my aunt."

The walk back to the mansion was a quiet one, the two busy with their own private thoughts. But when they broke through the trees and the mansion was in sight Judy paused. "You're sure you want to try a relationship? I don't want to pressure you."

"I'm not pressured," Nick assured her. "This is the first time in-ever-that I stepped into a relationship with complete confidence."

 

 

 

 


	16. Free Concert (Band AU)

"I wish there was a way to spread the word without using flyers." Bellwether gave a pained look at the poster they placed on the brick wall that had a list of every day things one mammal could do to help the environment. "If any jerks take the flyer off they'll just drop it and let it become litter."

She and Judy stood in the quad, the rabbit's arms full of hundreds of more flyers. She decided not to point out that they had printed out  _way_ too many flyers to be environmentally healthy. But she had discovered very quickly that Nick and his band had been right about the sheep. She was uppity, obnoxious, a know-it-all, with an incredibly large ego that she tried to hide behind a soft voice and tinkling bell. Judy needed to find a new roommate as soon as possible she realized but...for now she had to play nice so living with Bellwether wouldn't be  _completely_ insufferable. 

Judy's ears lifted when she heard the gentle strum of guitar strings amongest the crowd chatter. She looked over her shoulder and broke into a smile when she spotted Honey and Winter. The two sitting together by the quad's fountain, the badger holding her guitar in her arms, apparently playing a song for her girlfriend. 

Judy looked around and tried to spot any of the other members of Tiny Hoarder, specfically Nick. She didn't particularly like the fox, he was definitely the type of boy she'd been warned about throughout her life. But...he was handsome to look at. And was absolutely a better mammal to hold a conversation with then her roommate.

"What are you looking at?" Bellwether suddenly asked, making the rabbit jump.

"Oh! Not-not much!" Judy stammered, pointing to Honey and Winter. "I met those two last night, they're very nice."

Bellwether sniffed and Judy felt a rise of distaste toward the sheep. "They're from that "band" down the street, aren't they?"

"Tiny Hoarder," Judy replied. 

"Yes, them." Bellwether rolled their eyes. "Lead by that fox who's...well..."

Judy opened her mouth, not sure what to say. She knew what Bellwether was implying and...Judy kinda agreed with her. But still she-

Bellwether looked over Judy's shoulder and sniffed haughtily, "Speak of the devil."

Judy turned around in time to see Nick saunter into the quad, still wearing his black leather jacket despite the warm weather. He lifted his arms up in a lazy stretch, his fur rising with the effort and finished the stretch with a shake of his foot. He must've felt Judy stare- _noticing_ -him and pulled his lips into a smirk, giving her a wink.

She flushed and turned back around. "Yes, that's him." 

"Why is he coming over?" Bellwether demanded, looking affronted. Judy however was wondering if she was still young enough to run from her problems.

Deciding she didn't need that kind of reputation. Judy turned around just as Nick reached her side, ignoring Bellwether's glare. "Good afternoon, Nick."

"Heya, Cherry," he grinned. "I take it you're no longer homeless." 

"No, I'm fine." Judy nodded toward Bellwether, "You know my roommate."

Nick glanced at the sheep and smirked at her, Bellwether looked like she was ready to combust.

"Excuse me," Bellwether snatched the flyers from Judy, "I have things to do. We can't all be dead beats now, can we?" She trotted off with her nose stuck in the air. Judy turned and gave the fox a glare.

"I didn't do anything," he pleaded his innocence though didn't sound guilt-ridden in the slightest.

"I have to go back to that later," Judy moaned, running her fingers over her face. "You guys were right about her."

Nick patted her shoulder, "Buck up, Cherry. You can move in with me and the band."

Judy gave him a side eye and stepped away from his paw's reach. She was noticing that his fur looked more unkempt than last night, as if a mammal had been running their paws through his fur. Judy didn't like the squelch of anger that burned in her stomach with that fact, she didn't care who he spent his time with. But she didn't want him flirting with her when he was out kissing vixens. "I should go and talk to Bellwether."

Nick gave her a wince of pity, "That's a little...unnecessaryily nice."

"That's Nick for stupid." Honey was suddenly there, Winter at her side and both offering Judy friendly smiles. 

Nick gave his friends a droll look, "That's Nick for unnecessarily nice, Hon-Bun. I'm a gentleman."

Both the badger and vixen broke into laughter and even Judy had to hold back a snort. Nick hold his paw over his heart with an overly dramatic expression of hurt, "Wow, ladies, I'm wounded. Your laughter has stabbed me. Right here. In the heart. Fatally. If Cherry wasn't here giving me strength I'd have died on this cement and  _you_ would've had to drag me to a coffin. An alabastor one, I have taste."

"I gotta go," Judy told the girls. "See you later." She turned and dashed off, not giving Nick a second glance.

.

"First off," Honey said as soon as Judy was out of ear shot, "Stop that." 

Nick's eyes stayed glued to the bunny's tail as she slowly left his side. "Stop what?"

"You promised you'd keep your paws to yourself around Judy," Honey reminded him with the stern tone of a dissaproving parent.

Nick finally pulled his eyes back to his friends, "And I did."

"Figuratively and literally, Nick," Winter spoke up. "And not right after you had a make out session with Sue." She shuddered, her nose wrinkling. "I could smell you all the way over there."

"Tell your nose not to be so nosy," Nick shot back before turning on his heel. "I'm a big pup, I can talk to Cherry after kissing Sue anytime I please." He walked off with his tail wagging. He loved his friends but sometimes they really couldn't mind their own business. They didn't control who he slept with and if he wanted to sleep with Cherry (which he totally did) well, he had plenty of skills in the seduction department. 

.

Bellwether was still in a mood when Judy found her in their dorm room so the bunny decided to go for a longer walk while she cooled down, using the time to explore parts of the college she hadn't visisted. Like the auditorium. She hadn't joined in drama clubs but she was always facsinated by plays,especially musicals. She had even been in a few school musicals as a kit. A lot of her relatives said she had the voice of an angel but she was sure they were being nice. 

Still, as she walked into the currently empty auditorium, she thought it wouldn't hurt to reminisce. For just a moment. 

 So standing in the middle of the stage, looking out at the empty seats she took a breath and imagined it was filled to the brim with mammals, quiet with bated breath, waiting for her to sing. And instead of wearing a giant orange sweater she wore a shimmering dress of silver and silk. She closed her eyes and let a song start to play in her head, knowing every note, every lyric, by heart. She opened her mouth-and sang.

.

The creative arts wing was usually deserted at this time of the day so Nick decided to slip in for a smoke break. Yeah he could've done it outside but what was the point of smoking if you didn't do it in the bleachers or a car like a highschool gangster from Grease? Nick didn't have a car, Winter had a van but would never let him use it, and the football field's bleachers were on the other side of campus. 

Nick was almost there, already pulling out a stick and lighter, when something caught his ear. The faintest sound of someone singing. Stuffing a greaser's best friends into his jacket Nick followed the singing. And the closer he got the more his mouth watered. Whoever was singing had to have a record deal. There was no way something so beautiful didn't have money constantly thrown at it. What was this professional singer doing in a college auditorium?

Seeing the doors already open Nick silently slipped in and his jaw nearly dislocated it fell so suddenly.

The singer was Cherry! 

She was twirling around the stage, totally in the moment and not noticing he was watching. She had the vocal chords Nick always dreamt of but didn't think existed. 

He was also pretty sure this was the closest he had ever been to falling in love.

He walked over to stand before the stage, paws resting on the edge as his eyes never left the bunny. He probably could've watched her forever, honestly.

But her song eventually came to a finish and she at last opened her eyes-to see a practically drooling fox at her feet.

Judy yelped and jumped back, "N-Nick! You scared me!"

Nick wanted to come off smooth, collected, act like he wasn't that impressed. That didn't happen.

"YOU'RE FREAKING AMAZING!" He slammed his paws on the stage for emphasis, startling Judy further. 

Her ears blushed at the loud, almost crazed, compliment. "I am? Thank you... I-"

"You gotta join my band!" Not the most tactful or dignified recruitment of his record, but in his defense, he was still star struck. "Please, Cherry!"

Judy blinked in shock and placed a paw over her chest, "Me? In a college band?"

"We'd become famous in no time with you as our lead singer!"

"Weren't you the lead singer?"

"I'd happily give that up for you."

The offer seemed to both surprise and flatter her, "It's a very sweet offer, Nick. I do appreciate it. But..." She trailed off. Nick wasn't an idiot, he knew her opinion of him.

But he persisted, "We're performing for a restaurant this weekend. Please, come see what we can do and then decide."

When she still looked hesitant he clasped his paws together. "I will beg on paws and knees, Cherry. Just say the word and I will grovel at your feet."

"...You really think I'm that good?"

"I KNOW you're that good."

Her smile was warm and soft and Nick was too weak to handle both good looks and amazing talent. "Alright," Judy nodded. "I'm free on the weekend anyway." 


	17. Nick's the Bad Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's an AU where Nick is a villain so like, prepare for him to be OOC.
> 
> For Ragingwerewolfdude

If Judy Hopps was honest with herself, her standing before the Zootopia mayor, becoming a cop in front of the whole world: a part of it was thanks to Nick Wilde.

She had always wanted to be a cop and got to the academy all on her own, but the years she was getting ready to go there, and all throughout training, she heard voices on the television talk about the robberies and hold ups. She kept an ear open as she got herself ready for the rest of her life, noting that the police suspected whoever was in charge of all these escalating crimes worked with the mafia, a predator probably but no idea exactly what.

To the ZPD, and the rest of the world, this Nick Wilde, while dangerous, wasn't any worse than the other mob bosses that slinked through the dark streets. Not until the day a powerful CEO was found dead in his office with Nick Wilde's calling card (a white card with a fancy black W), all his money and information taken. Judy was never told what the bear had held but by the way the mayor and chief had panic in their eyes-Nick Wilde was officially the number one criminal in Zootopia.

And so the rabbit spent years on the force, making her own friends and enemies along the way. The most notable is detective Jack Savage. A hare that had been impressed with Judy's skills and requested to Bogo that she stay with him. Jack was the closest friend Judy had in this city.

But one day, on a day that seemed like any other, the ZPD finally got a clue.

Thanks to some inside ears the ZPD has reason to believe Wilde was hiding out at a hotel that doubled as a casino. Arguing for started up over what course of action to be taken until finally it was admitted that busting in and causing chaos would give Wilde time to escape. They needed to disguise an officer, two at most, and send them in to weed the mob boss out.

Jack told Judy to leave it to him, and after three hours of pacing in front of Bogo's office Judy was rewarded to Jack stepping out and saying they'd be the ones to go catch Wilde. 

But there was a catch.

            Hours later Judy stood on a floor above the casino, music and cheering vibrating under her feet. But the bunny had no time to pay any attention to that, her ears were burning with the skimpy, leather one piece that clung to her frame.

The room was filled with females wearing the same outfit as her, sitting and flirting with the customers who didn’t need to try their luck at the slot machine, all of them dressed in suits and soaking up the attention they received in the smoky, dimly lit room.

            According to the inside ears Nick was never seen per se, but his name was whispered amongst the throng of mammals too many times to be a coincidence. So while Jack tried his luck downstairs, Judy would have to do what she could.

            Taking a deep breath, the air stung with heavy perfume and cologne, Judy calmed her beating heart and walked forward. One of these mammals could be Wilde; she just had to take a stab on which it could be. She always imagined him as some sort of large and vicious predator, so she decided to start there, her eyes falling on a wolf in the middle of the room, six females practically sprawled over him as they giggled and whispered in his ears. With the way the wolf showed off his snow white fangs he was lapping the attention up.

Judy might as well start somewhere.

Trying her best to appear as confident and poised as the rest of these girls Judy made a causal beeline to the wolf. But she wasn’t even near him when a skunk ran past her, knocking into her and she stumbled back-right into the lap of a stranger.

“Careful,” the voice grinned from behind her ear.

Judy jumped up and whirled around to nearly be nose to nose with a fox.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed, her fur on fire.

The fox bared his teeth in a smile, one of his canines was gold and a scar ran over his left eye. But the rest of him was well-maintained, freshly brushed fur and a suit that looked more expensive than her apartment.

“You should be,” he purred, “I think you broke my legs, and now I can’t stand up.”

Judy swallowed. What was the flirty answer to a fox teasing you? What was the flirty answer to excuse herself so she can get to the wolf.

“I should…” she trailed off and glanced over at the wolf who was giving a majority of his attention to a rail-thin gazelle.

The fox followed her gaze then turned back to her, “You like Sawyer?”

Judy turned back to him, “That’s his name?”

“I know, I asked him if he had a friend named Huckleberry,” he chuckled. “But in all seriousness, I don’t think fresh blood like you is ready to fight the hierarchy to get a spot on that wolf’s lap.”

Judy glanced over at Sawyer one more time, fighting for a spot next to the wolf would cause more attention than she needed. Like how she was sticking out like a sore thumb the way she was standing awkwardly.

“Wanna sit in my lap?” the fox asked. “The least you can do after breaking my legs.”

Judy took in a breath, and then turned to the fox with a sultry smile.

“Well, if you _insist_ ,” Judy made her self comfortable on the fox’s thighs. “But it sounds like you need a nurse, instead.”

“Oh, are you offering?” he teased with a flick of his ear. “Is this just your part time job, Carrots?”

 “Maybe,” Judy smiled, wrapping his arms around his neck. It had been years since she had gotten this close to fox. But for some reason this stranger felt different, he wasn’t activating Judy’s fight or flight response. She might even be able to get some answers out of him.

“I’m actually a jack of all trades,” she kept up her flirty tone. “You’d be impressed.”

The fox let his paws rest on her hips, his claws pricking her skin but didn’t hurt. “I already am.”

 

.

 

            The dark room, full of incense and whispers and laughter, was starting to get to Judy though she tried to keep a clear head. She was still sitting on the fox’s lap, her head pressed against his shoulder and the thick fur of his neck tickling her face. She eyed Sawyer, still with plenty of girls surrounding him, she needed to pull herself off this fox and get over there. She needed to get an _answer_ to _something_!

She idly wondered if Jack had come across anything.

 “Thirsty?”

She looked up at the fox, “Pardon?”

He gave her a sympathetic look, honestly this fox acted too sincere to be in such a place. “You look like you’re about to fall out? Is it the incense? It is pretty smoky.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, “I don’t drink.”

“I wasn’t fond of it at your age either,” he replied, reaching for his drink and taking a sip. “But then I got old.”

“You’re not that old,” she insisted.

“I feel old,” he replied. “But I was actually suggesting water. There’s some water bottles in a fridge over in the corner.”

“Thanks, but really I’m fine,” she assured.   
The fox shrugged, “Okay.” He carefully slid her off his leg and stood up to stretch, “I need to go stretch my legs.”

“See, they aren’t broken,” Judy couldn’t help but tease. The fox smiled at her again and his expression was so soft. She didn’t even know his name.

“Maybe I’ll see you when I get back.” He kissed her paw, “It was a pleasure, Carrots.” And then with a swish of his tail he was gone.

            Judy turned her eyes to Sawyer; it was time to get back to work. She licked her lips, realizing her mouth was dry she reluctantly went to find a bottle of water. She needed to be in top form, she grabbed a bottle and took a swig-and immediately realized she had made a mistake.

 

.

 

            When she came to she was in another room, the floor thick, soft carpet. Her neck felt weirdly heavy and her head throbbed.

“Hopps?”

Judy sat up and immediately turned and saw Jack a few feet away, sitting against the wall with his paws bound and blood trailing down his face.

“What happened?” she looked around and saw they were in a penthouse; she could just heard faint music below and realized they were still in the same building.

“I got knocked out from behind,” Jack admitted, calm as ever but his eyes roving around the room. “When I came to a fox carried you in and placed you on the floor.”

Her ears shot up. _The fox did this!?_

“And he put these on us.”

Judy just then realized a metal collar was wrapped around Jack’s neck, and she had a matching one as well.

“I-I drank a bottle of water,” Judy explained, realizing how stupid she had been. “There was something in it. But it was in a fridge with tons of other bottles, how did-”

            “All the bottles were laced with the strongest sleeping powder you can find on the market,” a voice spoke up from behind them.

The two turned to see the fox waltz into the room, looking completely causal as if he hadn’t kidnapped two mammals. His eyes were on his phone, apparently checking something before walking around the two, giving them a wide berth and stopping in front of them. Finally he put his phone away and met Judy’s confused and angry expression.

He broke into laughter, “Your _face_!” he doubled over, his fangs flashing as he mocking laughed. “Did-did you think I was stupid?” He straightened and wiped a tear from his eye. “You think I wouldn’t recognize the only two rabbits in the force? The ones who had been plastered all over the news? Come now, your disguises were _terrible_.”

“Let me guess,” Jack spoke, “You’re Wilde.”

Judy swallowed painfully as the fox made a gracious and dramatic bow, “In the flesh and at your service.”

She had flirted with Wilde; she had sat in the lap of the most notorious criminal in all of Zootopia. 

“What are you going to do with us?” she demanded and jolted in place when the fox walked over to be nose to nose with her.

“Not much, Carrots,” he breathed, running his claws over her ear. “Don’t worry; I wouldn’t damage _your_ pretty face.” He glanced at Jack who watched him with narrowed, cold eyes. “I don’t necessarily plan on killing either of you. But it’ll probably sting.”

“What are you-” Jack began before Nick pulled out a small square device and pushed a button.

A green light lit up on Jack’s collar only to immediately switch to red and the rabbit howled, flinching violently and falling to his side, twitching.

“JACK!” Judy desperately scrambled to his side. “What did you do?” she seethed at Wilde.

The fox smirked and pressed the button again, the red light went out and Jack relaxed. “Volts,” he gasped through clenched teeth. “This collar…electric volts.”

“Indeed,” Wilde purred. “You weren’t as calm and collected as you looked detective.” He walked toward the two and Judy put herself between jack and the fox. In a blink Wilde reached out and grabbed Judy’s paws, lifting her to her feet. Her legs were still useless, and if it weren’t for the paw he placed on her back she would’ve fallen.

With the paw he released she tried to pull away from him, but whatever that water had been laced with it was incredibly strong. But how had see been the only affected in that room, what were the odds of getting the once laced? Or were all of the waters dangerous and simply no one in that entire room was thirsty?

Wilde must’ve read her thoughts, “Oh, you two don’t realize it was a trap, do you? I own this place, and all the mammals here work for me, including the little birdie who told you to come here.”

He started to move, lazily spinning in a circle, dragging Judy along as if they were dancing. “Though I must admit, my orders didn’t say bring the prettiest cop in all of Zootopia,” he smiled at her, and the rabbit felt sick. “But enough about that, I suspect you two want to know my devious plan, hm?”

With one arm he dipped Judy, holding her dangling from his paw as she struggled to get away from him. With the other paw he tapped her collar with a claw. “This little thing is called a TAME collar.”

Jack sucked in a sharp breath from where he was sprawled on the floor and Wilde grinned evilly at him. “You know it, huh? Well, please do me a favor and not explain to Carrots here. I wanna do that.”

He looked down at her, “Long ago, back when prey thought predators would eat them up, the sharp-toothed scoundrels had to wear these collars; any predator get too excited and the collars would zap them. Brutal, huh? But eventually they were liberated and the collars destroyed-all except for the first two prototypes. Congratulations, Carrots, you’re wearing a piece of history.”

            Judy finally managed to roll out of his paw, falling to her knees. “So that’s your plan?” she demanded as Wilde took a step back. “Collar prey?”

“What? No, of course not…at least, not _just_ prey,” Wilde admitted. “I mean, the mayor is a lion. And there are plenty of higher ups in this city that have sharp teeth, including some mammals that could make some more collars of me.” He threw his paws out, looking like a kit at Christmas. “Can you imagine? All the leaders of this city with those collars around their neck, unable to take them off, trapped. I’ll officially have the entirety of Zootopia in the palm of my paw.”

“Why would you tell us all this?” Judy demanded.

Nick turned back to the two, “Well for one, I threw away your tracking devices so like-no one’s going to find you or get a recording of me saying this. Second, I’ve decided to make you two my parents in crime.”

When the rabbits stared at him like he was insane the fox continued, “As I said before, I’ve seen you two on the news. I admire your spunk, your title being the only two rabbits in the force, etcetera, etcetera. I don’t want to kill you two, and I don’t want to release you, so, congratulations! We’re a team now!”

“You are _insane_ ,” Judy spat, “There’s no way we’d help you!”  
 “Oh trust me, beautiful,” Wilde pulled his lips back in a wide grin, showing every single tooth he possessed, the scar over his eye wrinkled. “I’ve _incredibly_ persuasive.”

 

 

 

           

           

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gonna be honest guys, I didn't have that much fun with this one and don't see myself writing more for it. I'm more for animatics with this AU


	18. The Blind Sniper & The Dumb Detective

As a self-led sniper Nicholas Wilde only answered to one thing and that was cold hard cash.

Which was why he now sat by a window of a ritzy apartment complex, gun aimed and ready for the tiger he was being paid good money by a crime boss to kill.

As a conman turned sniper Nicholas Wilde knew how to break into ritzy apartments with nothing buy a paper clip.

Which was why he broke in at this specific time because he had figured out the apartment owner’s schedule and knew she wouldn’t be back until next week, having taken a vacation with her boyfriend.

As a sniper, period, Nicholas Wilde believed he saw everything coming, physically and emotionally.

Which was why he was downright flabbergasted that the force known as Detective Judith Laverne Hopps caught him by surprise.

Sitting at his window he had it aimed to the door of the club across the street where the tiger would be arriving any moment now. Just one quick shot to the head and then the vulpine could take a much needed vacation, maybe somewhere nice in the Rainforest District.

His ears pricked up when he saw a limo pull up in front of the club, a stripped body stepping out. Nick’s eyes narrowed and his lips pulled back into a grim line, he aimed for the back of his skull, his finger moving to pull the trigger.

But then pain shot up his tail and Nick yelped, dropping his gun to the floor and whirling around-his eyes widening when he saw it was the bunny that lived here. She was supposed to be on vacation!

Before the fox could so much as blink the rabbit lunged for his throat. Nick ended up wrestling with the bunny across the carpeted floor. She kicked him in the stomach and the breath got knocked out of his body.

“I don’t know who you are but you chose the wrong room to break in!” she snarled at him.

Nick head-butted her in the chest, knocking her onto her tail before grabbing his gun and heading for the door, he wasn’t for killing when there was no profit in it and to be fair she was defending her household.

But this bunny, who he had learned through studying her schedule was named Judy, wasn’t one to just let him go. Instead she lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso. Nick once again let his gun fall (he was being pretty reckless with the dangerous firearm today but getting attacked by a rabid rabbit definitely threw his mind off track) and with a snarl tried to tear her off his back but she was holding on like her life depended on it. She probably assumed it did.

Nick stumbled around the apartment, trying to pull her strangling hold off his neck. He knew he could probably slam her up against a wall or door but he really didn’t want to shatter her ribs.

Spotting her too-big-for-a-bunny bed Nick got an idea and ran toward it, falling onto the bed so his back was atop the rabbit, his plan worked, the bed softening her fall so she didn’t break anything but his weight heavy enough to make her let out an oof and relax her grip.

Immediately the fox slipped out of her limbs and whirled around to pin her down on the bed, his paws on her wrists and his knees on her thighs, his greater mass keeping her in place.

“You’re under arrest,” she spat viscously up at him, not intimated at all by the fact she was being held down by a fox. Nick saw the flash of a badge beneath her jacket and cursed; he had recalled seeing her wearing that badge but hadn’t realized it was a detective’s badge.

“Seems a little dramatic,” he mused to her, “And it’s not like you have any handcuffs on you.” He resisted the urge to pat her down to make sure.

“I don’t need handcuffs,” she replied stoutly.

“Hmm,” Nick said, glancing over to the window. He knew the tiger was long out of range now. And since he got his pay before the job he was going to end up having to hide from a very angry crime boss.

“Who were you trying to kill, sniper?” the bunny, Judy, asked, she said the last word as if it left a bile taste in her mouth.

“Probably someone you’re trying to arrest, detective. And might I add I had very carefully figured out your schedule so I wouldn’t disturb you during my hit. You are supposed to be on a romantic getaway with your buckfriend.”

And then Judy did something Nick the sharp-eyed sniper did not see coming. She burst into tears.

Nick pulled back, straddling her hips but released her wrists as tears blurred her violet eyes and she furiously rubbed at them. “Yeah,” she sniffed. “I was supposed to!”

“What did he die in the plane crash?”  
“If only,” she said bitterly, “That bastard son of a bitch!”

It was then Nick realized he had just stepped into a TV drama and he didn’t know where the exit was. “I-uh, I’m sorry?”

She pushed at his chest and the fox got off her, still thrown by her tears to realize she could attack him again. But she didn’t, instead she kept trying to wipe away the tears that may as well have been a broken faucet. “I’m the worst detective in the world,” she moaned. “Just a dumb bunny…”

“Well you did attack an armed predator with only your bare paws and some obvious aggression,” Nick said, trying to lighten the mood for some reason. Either way it didn’t work.

Judy gave him a mournful look, “You’d think I would’ve seen the signs but I didn’t see it coming…I had no idea. And now look at me? I’m sobbing about my problems to some fox who broke into my home-how did you even do that?”

“A magician never reveals his secrets,” he replied, trying to offer a pleasant smile. Yes she had nearly strangled him to death but damn it all she looked so pitiful.

Judy let out a soft sigh, hugging her knees to her chest, “I’m such a mess…”  
“Hey, I’ve been there,” Nick surprised both of them by sitting down next to her. But hey, he was going to be killed by a vengeful crime boss soon enough, might as well get a few good deeds in before he met his maker. “Everyone’s dated trash before.”

“I just wish I had figured out he was trash before I spend all that money so he could go on vacation with his…his little…”

“Go ahead and say it,” Nick invented. “Get some of that aggression out.”

“THAT TRAMP!!!” she yelled loudly then slammed her paws against her mouth, her eyes wide as if she couldn’t believe she had used such foul language (even though she had had no qualms with saying her exe was fatherless and his mother was less than respectful). Nick chuckled softly; he found the entire thing…cute.

He blinked, he couldn’t remember ever finding some cute before. But Judy had a different word to describe the situation.

“This is weird,” she mumbled, standing up. “Talking like we’re friends. This is weird.”  
She turned to Nick, “But since you were nice to me and didn’t try to shoot me I’ll let you go, but only if you promise to find more honest work and run.”  
“I’m Nick,” he said out of the blue. He wasn’t completely sure why but he wanted this rabbit to know his name before he met his end.

Her ears fell down as if knowing his name upset her, but she let out a soft sigh and a small smile, “I’m Judy. Now you better go.”

.

Detective Judy laid across her bed in nothing but a small top and pajama shorts, staring up at her ceiling and wondering how she could’ve misread Jack Savage so poorly. She had wasted three years of her life and way too much money on the awful buck. And now he was enjoying the beach with the skimpy bunny he had kept a secret from her for two of those years and she was lying on her bed, miserable, alone, with her thoughts spinning back to that fox.

It was amazing she hadn’t screamed when she opened the door of her apartment and saw him kneeling there and pointing a rifle out the window. And she suppose, secretly, she had been glad to have a reason to fight as she hadn’t managed to give Jack the punch he oh so deserved. But surprising both her and the fox her anger quickly evaporated and replaced herself with tears.

Sobbing in front of a sniper who broke into her home was easily more mortifying then her boyfriend taking her vacation without her.

And then somehow she had ended up talking to the fox, to Nick, who had been sympathetic and somehow the exact thing she needed. She had been reluctant to send him away.

But knocking on her door had Judy sitting up confused. Who would be visiting at midnight?

Imagining Clawhauser having some way found out about her break up and armed himself with ice cream and donuts, Judy opened the door. And came face to face with Nick the sniper.

He looked like hell, with a black eye and bloody fur, even his ears looked chewed on.

Judy gaped in horror but Nick’s posture was causal as if he was perfectly fine. He even grinned at her and whistled appreciatively; admiring the curves she was showing.

“What happened?” she gasped.

Nick moved past her into the apartment as he talked. “You happened,” his voice actually sounded amused. “You dragged me into your mess of savagery and hurt feelings and I didn’t get a chance to shoot the guy I had already been paid to do.”

He stretched his arms out as if presenting himself, “So my benefactor kicked my red ass. I had to play dead so he wouldn’t beat me to death.”

Judy threw her paws up to cover her mouth, her eyes wide with fright. “Why didn’t you go to the hospital?”

Nick leaned forward, his breath wafting over her muzzle and she could smell alcohol. That would explain his care-free attitude, he must have drunk an entire bottle and more to numb the pain. “I can’t,” he replied. “By now they would have come back to get rid of my body and see me gone. And the first place they’d check is every nearby hospital.” He stepped back, “And since this is your fault I’d figure I’d camp out here until they assume I died in a ditch.”  
“Camp out here,” she echoed.

“Oh don’t worry, I’m a great roomie,” he assured before turning away. He collapsed onto the bed, immediately staining it with blood and dirt. Judy walked over but couldn’t find the heart to move him, his eyes were already closed and he looked pathetic.

Occupying herself Judy fetched a warm wet rag before returning to his side, his eyes didn’t open as she gently moved him onto his back. After undoing his shirt and slipping it off she started to clean his fur up, relieved to see that all his bleeding wounds were shallow.

But at one point when she was massaging his chest Nick’s uninjured eye fluttered open and he gazed at her. “Oh I can tell you’re a great roomie too.” His smile was suggestive.

Judy found herself giggling like a little school girl, “This is a thank you for listening to my woes.”  
”No problem,” he said.

“But room and board you’re going to have to work for,” she informed him.

His suggestive grin didn’t falter, “You aren’t the first heart broken girl I’ve comforted.”

“Good,” she replied, pretending to be all business, “Because my exe left me with rage, sadness, and a lot of sexual frustration.”

Long story short the sniper who saw everything didn’t see her coming.

And Precinct One’s best detective completely misread him.


	19. Steamy Windows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn’t exactly nsfw but there’s a healthy dose of sex talk in it so I give it a pg-15 rating. Continue with caution.

Looking at himself in the mirror, clad in his best white button down and black slacks Nick Wilde came to a startling realization. He was a fucking sap!

Well okay, it wasn’t that startling. No matter what he said to his friends or family or random strangers on the streets, Nick was always on the hunt for true love. And now that he had reached 32 he was desperate to find his dream girl, so desperate in fact he was doing something he hadn’t done since high school: go on a blind date.

Finnick had somehow become pals with the Mafia Princess herself, Mr. Big’s daughter: Fru Fru and she had a friend looking for a date. After being assured said friend wasn’t a shrew (though Finnick didn’t know what she was exactly) Nick had agreed.

After all, at 32 and a con fox, he was running out of options in finding his One n’ Only.

.

Judy Hopps hated stereotypes. She really did and would love nothing better than to have them erased from society. But she was being 110% honest when she said she needed to accept her biological bunny urges and shag the hell out of something.

It had been nearly a year since Judy had broken up with her last boyfriend she had not only been on any dates but also not had her more carnal needs met. And months and months without someone warming her bed had led Judy into doing something she never thought she would do.

Accept a blind date with the sole reason of pounding her date’s brains out.

But she also planned on keeping it classy…ish. After all this was a guy Fru Fru found for her. He would be classy.

She glanced down at herself, wearing a blue dress that hugged her thighs and a pearl necklace her mother gave her ages ago but she never had a chance to wear.

Satisfied with her appearance Judy walked out the door, eager to give her blind date the night of his life.

.

When Nick walked into the restaurant he was filled with momentary dread that he was the first to arrive and would therefore have to wait for his date all the while wondering if she would show up at all.

But no, the table Fru Fru had reserved for him already had someone sitting there. A bunny someone.

Nick’s feet felt like cement blocks and he couldn’t keep his jaw from unhinging. Out of all the animals he could’ve been set up with for this date it had to be a BUNNY?! She’d probably run away in fright as soon as he approached her.

Grumbling to himself about the irony of the universe and dying alone Nick forced his feet to move and made his way to the rabbit who was swirling her drink around it’s glass.

He cleared his throat, “Judy?”

Her ears shot up and then he was looking into violet eyes that he could only describe as dazzling. Those eyes blinked in surprise when she saw him. “Nick?” she asked in utter disbelief.

He shrugged apologetically even though he had nothing to be sorry for, “One and only.”  
“Fru didn’t tell me you-” she quickly shut her mouth, her ears flushing with embarrassment.

Taking pity on her because this was just as awkward as him he smiled. “A fox? No one told me you were a rabbit so I guess we’re on the same boat.”

“Well none of that matters,” she quickly assured him and indicated to the seat across from her, “Sit down.”

Nick obeyed, “So, uh, Judy. Tell me, how’d you meet Fru Fru.”  
“I saved her life,” Judy said with no small degree of pride.

Nick’s brows rose, “What physically? Emotionally? Spiritually?”

“Physically,” she replied. “I was chasing a thief through Little Rodentia, next thing you know he kicked a giant donut at me and I just managed to catch it before it landed on Fru.”

“Huh,” Nick said, her explanation gave him more questions than answers. “Why were you chasing a thief through Little Rodentia?”

“Oh, I’m a cop.”

Nick’s eyes widened just as the waitress came over to take their order. As soon as she walked away the rabbit gave him a defensive expression, “What?”

“You’re a…cop?”

“Is that bad?”

“No, no,” Nick waved his paws, slightly frightened by the flash of anger in her eyes. “It’s just a little unusual, interesting but unusual…Good for you,” he added lamely.

But Judy nodded, apparently satisfied with his answer. “What do you do?” she leaned forward, interlocking her fingers and placing them under her chin.

“Well I’m not going to tell a cop that I’m a con-artist,” Nick joked, “Because I’m not.”

She giggled slightly, “Okay, what do you…‘specialize’ in?”  
”Business,” he replied, resting his elbows on the table. “I actually plan on starting my own amusement park.”

The two went back and forth, Nick telling her all of his interests that happened to be legal and Judy told him about the many adventures of being the only bunny cop of the ZPD. Their conversation coming to a temporary halt when their food arrived but their minds kept running a mile a minute.

He is pretty cute,” Judy admitted to herself, forking a slice of steamed carrot as she kept her eyes on the fox. And unlike most guys I meet he isn’t intimidated by my career choice.

Okay so maybe I’m an inter, Nick came to the conclusion as he took a sip of his wine. He could feel her eyes on him and it made his skin hot, and while he didn’t meet her gaze he couldn’t help remember how tight her dress was and how it just barely covered his thighs and yep, he was attracted to a rabbit.

His fur looks soft, Judy was musing to herself. And that muzzle is probably perfect for necking. And I wouldn’t say I’m against such size difference, in fact if I could get him into bed…

She’s a really good conversationalist, Nick thought with a soft smile. Funny too…good personality, that’s hard to find these-HOLY HELL!!

Nick nearly choked on his fried fish when his nose caught the scent of very strong arousal.

“Are you okay?” Judy asked eyes wide in concern.

“Y-yeah,” Nick took a large sip of his drink, easing his throat, “I’m fine.” His nose twitched and it didn’t take him long to realize the arousal was coming from the bunny before him.

His throat went dry.

“You sure?” Judy asked, she was a good actor, if he couldn’t smell he would have never guessed she wanted to jump his bones.

His pulled his lips up in a pained smile, “Absolutely.”

.

They decided to skip dessert, Judy stating she had no more room left and Nick wanted to hurry and leave the restaurant and this bunny who acted subtle but smelled otherwise.

Nick couldn’t help feeling disappointed as the two walked out of the restaurant. Yeah Nick liked himself just fine but even he wouldn’t sleep with him after only one date. This bunny wasn’t looking for romance she was looking for a one night stand.

He knew this, he really did…yet he still offered her a ride home.

“You sure?” she pretended to be reluctant, rubbing her arms against the chilly air that had fallen over Savannah Central.

“Just get in,” he said gruffly, nodding to his car parked not too far away. He tried to keep a cold detachment as he led her into the car, hoping to give off a ‘I’m not interested’ vibe.

It didn’t work.

As soon as they were both in the car Judy jumped onto his lap and slammed their lips together. And despite his disappointment Nick allowed himself a moment to enjoy it, her tongue soft and warm against his, her lips sliding against his own. She tasted amazing, he would’ve liked to kiss her more often, but she wouldn’t and that fact made Nick grab her shoulders and gently pull her off his mouth. She blinked dazedly at him, her eyes blurry with lust and her lower body pressed tightly against his.

“Wh-what’s wrong?” she murmured distractedly. Her paws reached for his shirt but he trapped her wrist with his fingers.

“You need to find someone else,” Nick told her softly but firmly.

Her ears fell with dejection, “Why?”

“Because I’m not looking for a one night stand,” he snapped. “I accepted this blind date so I could meet a nice girl, go on more dates, and become a couple. I wasn’t looking for some cheap shag.”

“O-oh,” her eyes were now wide with mortification and guilt, “I’m so sorry.” She crawled out of his lap and into the passenger seat, pressing her back against it and looking shame-faced. “I-I just…”

“It’s fine,” Nick said coolly, pulling away from the restaurant and driving down the street. “Which way to your place?”

“No it’s not fine,” Judy insisted, ignoring his question. “I can’t believe I did that!” She buried her face in her paws, “You were trying to find yourself a nice girl and I had my head in my pants.” She peeked between her fingers at her short dress, “Metaphorical pants…”  
Nick shrugged, trying to stay nonchalant, “You’re younger than me, and tons more interesting. You don’t have to hurry.”

“You’re interesting too,” Judy quickly said, looking up at him with sincere eyes. “I liked talking to you, I swear.”

“I liked talking to you too,” Nick replied honestly. He really liked talking with her.

“I still feel awful,” Judy leaned back against the seat. “But don’t you worry; you’re real sweet and handsome. You’ll find a nice girl. Not a sex-crazed beast like me.”   
Nick couldn’t help snickering at how she defined herself. “Any particular reason for that?”

“I haven’t been on a date for months,” the bunny explained. “And I couldn’t get my…needs, met.”  
“Ah,” he said, “So uh…which way?”

“Turn left here and go straight for the next three stops,” Judy ordered, her ears still drooping. She looked the perfect example of pitiful.

“I’m not mad, Fluff,” Nick tried to assure the rabbit.

“I just wish there was a way to make it up to you,” she moaned.

“Wanna make it up to me? Go on another date with me,” the words were out before Nick could process.   
Judy’s ears shot up and she looked at him with open surprise, “You want to go on another date with me?”

Nick laughed at her stunned expression, “You’re not repulsive, Carrots! I just didn’t want a one night stand.”  
“Well if you’re fine with it…yes, I’d love to go on another date and I’ll be on my best behavior too. Ah, this is my place.”

Nick parked next to an apartment complex and quickly wrote down his number on a napkin, “Call when you’re free.”

Judy nodded, happily taking the napkin. But before she could get out of the car Nick leaned forward and pressed a light kiss against her lips.

“By the way, you’ll get lucky with me after three dates.”  
But still they steamed up the windows a bit before Judy finally got out of the car.


	20. Laundry Past Midnight

udy let out a loud yawn, throwing her paw over her mouth. It was past midnight and she was exhausted but she needed to use this very rare free time to wash her clothes so no one questions her hygiene-keeping skills tomorrow in class.

She threw her clothes into the washer and nearly poured all her detergent over her flannels and jeans before slamming the lid shut and turning it on.

She leaned her paws against the thrumming machine and let out a soft sigh, her ears falling and framing her face. Her groggy mind going over her to-do list, if her clothes hurried and got clean she’d have at least an hour to two to take a nap.

She let out a groan; college wasn’t as fun as she had been told.

“Well, excuse me,” a sudden voice snarked.

Judy turned her head to see a male red fox walking down the steps and into the laundry room, holding a basket of wrinkly clothes between his paws. He was looking at Judy with a sarcastically offended expression.

“Pardon?” Judy spoke, looking at him with a knitted brow and perked ears.

“That was hardly the most flattering welcome groan I’ve ever received,” he explained as he placed the basket before the washer next to Judy’s. The bunny’s eyes widened in realization, “Oh, I’m so sorry! That groan wasn’t meant for you.”

“Then whose the unlucky mammal?” he asked, opening the lid of his washer.

“If it’s to anyone it’s to Professor Rattigan.”

The fox winced in sympathy, “I had him last year. My friends and I called him the World’s Smallest Dictator.”

Judy giggled, “That’s too nice for him.”

She smiled in greeting, “I’m Judy, by the way.”  
“Yeah, I’ve seen you hopping around,” the fox replied. “You’re Princess Mafia’s friend.”

“Are you talking about Fru Fru?”

“Do you have any other friends whose parents are crime bosses?” he asked.

Judy shook her head, “Just her…I don’t remember ever seeing you before.”  
He glanced at her, “We walk in different circles and look at different things.”

Judy blinked at the cryptic comment but he quickly changed the subject, “The name’s Nick.”

Her smile returned, “I like it.”

Nick smirked at her but then his eyes narrowed, “You should like a nice long nap. I could use the bags under your eyes to shop.”

Judy let out a tired sigh and rubbed at the offending eyeballs, “I know. You know if this college wanted us to make better grades to get a better future you’d think they’d give us time needed to sleep.”

“I hear ya,” Nick said, throwing in garments of clothing one at a time. “I take the night classes and am spending my ten minute break to wash my clothes so no one will think this fox is a slob.”

She took in his slightly wrinkled black T and torn jeans and wisely said nothing. At least, not until Nick pulled out a pajama top out of his basket-a pink Hello Kitty pajama top.

Judy bit her lip but couldn’t prevent an amused snort slipping out. The fox glanced at her, “What?”

“Did you get your laundry mixed up with someone else’s?”

“Of course not,” he grinned. “This is mine. I got the bottom half in here somewhere.”

Judy cocked an eyebrow, “Seriously?”

“Are you saying you don’t like Hello Kitty?” Nick asked incredulously before looking down at the kitten’s face, “She’s a meow-nificent icon.”

“Well…” Judy considered it. “That’s hardly your color.  
Nick placed the top against his chest, examining it, “I think pink matches my fur quite well actually.”  
Judy’s eyes narrowed, taking note that it was a full size smaller than the fox. “It doesn’t look like it’d fit…”

Nick’s muzzle scrunched up as if searching for a joking reply, finally he gave up and pulled the top away from his torso to hold it in one paw. “That’s because it’s my ex’s,” he replied. “I know I should return it to her…but I much rather burn it.” He met Judy’s violet gaze, “What do you think?”

“Depends on why she’s your exe,” the bunny replied. Living in Bunnyburrow she had witnessed many dramatic break ups. And to Judy there were different types of break ups that all deserved specific repercussions.

Nick placed the pajama top back over his chest. “Oh, Nicky,” he said wispily in a feminine voice meant to sound like his exe. “You know I adore you but I just do not think it’ll work out. And no, it is not because I’m a fickle little gold digger who let myself get felt up by all the seniors who were willing to buy me pretty things. It’s because you are so ugh and ew and really I was just dating you out of pity because who else would date you?”

Judy snickered at as Nick ended his words with a disgusted snort and dropped Hello Kitty back into the basket.

“So she’s one of those,” Judy nodded with thought. She had meant plenty of those girls before, was even related to a few. And she knew the one thing that drove them crazy.

“Forget burning her clothes you need to get a new girlfriend,”

Nick’s ears pricked at her words, “Do I?”

Judy nodded just as the washer finished her clothes. She pulled out the sopping mass and threw them in the dryer as she explained: “By showing her you’ve moved on you are proving her wrong. That yes you can date other girls and didn’t even need her. Those kind of girls think the world and everyone in it revolves around them and when they find out they’re wrong they nearly tear their fur out.

“Ah,” Nick said, his eyes trailing to Judy’s tail when she bent down to place her clothes in the dryer. When she turned back to him he quickly put the rest of his clothes in the washer and turned it on. “Any girl you’d recommend?”

Judy looked up in thought, mentally flipping through the list of girls she knew that went to school here, trying to figure out which ones were single and which ones would be willing to go out with the fox.

After a few moments of silence Nick spoke up, “What about you?”

Her ears shot up and she looked at him, “Excuse me?”

“Well I don’t really need to get a girlfriend and start a whole new relationship. I’d just need someone to carry on my arm around my exe once in a while. And since this is your idea maybe…”

Judy glanced down at her gray sweats that she had been wearing for two days straight, “I don’t know if she’d get jealous if you were seen with me.”

“Aw, Carrots, don’t sell yourself short,” Nick rubbed the top of her head. “You’re just the ticket.”  
The bunny’s ears flushed red and she gently pushed his paw away, “Alright, alright, it was my idea and if you think it’ll get her pulling her hair out-I’m in.”  
Nick grinned and for some reason Judy felt her heart pick up it’s pace. “Great.”

“But on one condition,” Judy held up her finger. She pointed it to the Hello Kitty pajamas, “Go buy a larger size of those and let me see you wear them.”

Nick threw his head back and laughed, “Oh, I can tell Carrots. You and I are going to have a great time. But as your future ‘boyfriend’ I suggest you hurry and dry your clothes then go get some much needed rest. I want you starry-eyed and fluffy-tailed for when I carry you on my arm.”


	21. Bloody Bunny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick is dating Judy but also keeping a secret. Story is not as violent as the title implies.
> 
> A lil nsfw

“Maybe he’s cheating on you.”

Judy’s jaw dropped in horror as she stared down at her phone that showed her mother and sister via muzzletime.

Bonnie sent the daughter next to her a stern look, “Don’t say such things, Harley.”

Judy’s sister shrugged unapologetically, “We know how foxes are naturally shifty and untrustworthy.”  
“Nick’s not like that,” Judy snapped but a worm of doubt was wiggling in the back of her mind.

It was Judy’s freshman year of college and she had stumbled across the fox one late night when she couldn’t find her way to her dorm, the college being like a maze at day and at night it was even worse.

She had nearly jumped out of her skin when a red figure suddenly appeared out of the shadows, seeing the fox she had recalled out the scary bed time stories, recalled Gideon Grey. But he had smiled, his half-lidded eyes friendly and had offered to escort her to her dorm. “Can’t help but have pity on a freshman,” he had said and Judy followed after him. By the time they had made it to her dorm she knew his name and his major, and in turn he knew hers.

She had looked for the fox the next day but hadn’t seen him, but she had asked around and learned he only took the night classes and Judy waiting for those to start to hunt him down and say thank you. Judy was quick to realize she liked the fox’s company, and after her waiting for him to emerge out of his dorm, follow him around, talk, enjoy a meal (his breakfast, hers dinner) he decided he liked her company as well.

They almost as quick as a blink, they were a couple.

It was nice, she realized, even if they had separate schedules. Nick was charming, funny, believed in her dream to become the first bunny cop. And the fact he was an excellent kisser didn’t hurt either.

But after a few months Nick had started to vanish, not meet up for their time together, barely responded to her texts. And it terrified her. She couldn’t help but wonder if Harley was right, that there was some beautiful vixen Nick was spending his time with, or if he simply didn’t want to be around Judy anymore. Maybe she talked too much, maybe she was too hyperactive, she started to list her cons in her head.

“Don’t let your sister get to you,” Bonnie told her from the phone’s screen, “I’m sure he has a good reason.”

Judy nodded numbly before wishing the two goodbyes and hanging up. Maybe Nick did have a good reason for ignoring her, but she was going to find out for sure.

.

He wasn’t in his room, she had been envious when she found out he didn’t have a roommate. Judy walked to the window across the hall to his door and looked out into the dark street, wishing she had the fox’s excellent night vision.

But luck was on her side, looking toward a street light she spotted the flash of familiar russet fur. Judy quickly ran out of the dorm building and down the street where Nick had hurried off.

She took note how he was heading to a more shady part of town, one she had never been around before but had heard plenty of horror stories about it. Her gut twisted and she knew the wise thing would be to turn around and go back to her room, but knowing Nick was out here scared her more than these menacing allies and leering windows.

Judy turned the corner and saw the flash of Nick’s sooty tail and she ran forward just in time to see the fox disappear inside a house.

Her heart dropped as she looked at the old two-story house, the lights gleaming with dim purple and blue light, music thrumming from the open door along with the laughs and yells of partying animals, some inside the house others drinking and making out on the porch and lawn. Judy walked past a pair of tigers in a furious make out session on the prickly grass, their paws wandering, and the bunny wondered why Nick would come to such a place. He hardly seemed like the party type…

Walking into the house she couldn’t spot Nick, having to focus on not getting step on the drunk, dancing animals. At one point a hare pushed a beer into her paw with a lecherous wink, Judy shuddered and quickly placed it on a table when he moved on. She tried to think straight and realized that, if Nick was here for the reason she thought he was, he would be upstairs.

Fear and dread churning her stomach and making her nauseous she headed up the stairs, the hallway mostly empty but in a few closed doors she could make out the sounds of creaking and moaning.

“You look lost.”  
Judy whirled around to see a smirking fennec fox standing behind her, assessing her.

“I’m-uh, I’m looking for someone,” Judy explained, “My boyfriend.”

“Haven’t seen him,” the fennec replied, “But I know someone who might. He knows everyone at this party.”  
Cautious but not having any better idea she nodded and the small fox led her farther down the hall, to the last door of the floor and knocked a pattern on the scratched wood. Judy’s eyes bulged when it opened and there stood Nick, his eyes holding a terrifying hunger.

The fennec spoke, “I brought someone for you.”  
Someone for you…

Nick looked just as shocked to see her, “Carrots!?”  
The smaller fox’s brow furrowed, “You know her?”

But Nick was already grabbing her wrist and pulling her into the room. “Go away,” he told the fennec with a tinge of desperate before shutting and locking the door.

He whirled on Judy with an angry glare, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” she demanded. They were in a bedroom with a lion-sized bed, a few drawers, a closet, and a window that was covered by blinds.

“You followed me here,” it wasn’t a question.

“I wanted to know why you’ve been avoiding me,” Judy replied, her voice tight.

He stepped toward her, “Carrots, you-” his nose suddenly twitched and he slammed a paw over his muzzle before taking several steps back, hitting the door. And for just a moment, Judy could’ve sworn his eyes flashed red.

“You need to go,” he mumbled against his paw.

“Why?”

“Because it’s not safe here,” Nick’s voice was almost a beg. “I’m…there are things about me you don’t know.”

“I bet I could imagine,” she said, her voice a shudder. “What was that fennec doing? Finding you some pretty girl to spend the night with? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? You’d rather be with some vixen, some girl who isn’t me?”

He looked at her with wide horrified eyes, “Carrots, that’s not-”

“Save it,” she growled then stomped toward the door, not looking at him even though he was standing right by her side and turned the knob only to remember it was locked.

But before she could unlock Nick placed a paw over the knob and her fingers and she flinched. “I’m not cheating on you,” he breathed raggedly, his paw was shaking.

“Maybe not but you’re keeping something from me, you don’t trust me with whatever it is so don’t expect me to stick around while you hide things from me,” she replied hotly, still not looking at him.

“Carrots…Judy…there’s something about me. If you found out you’d be terrified, you’d run away, and I don’t want you to leave me.”

Judy looked up at him, he swallowed painfully, “Then be honest with me.”

“You won’t believe me,” Nick rasped.

“Try me…”

He closed his eyes and exhaled, a look of defeat and resignation and heartbreak coming across his face. Then he opened his eyes.

They were no longer green.

They were blood red.

Judy’s eyes widened, her ears fell across her shoulders, but she didn’t move. Nick reached his paw toward her, the claws flashing and her breath hitched. “Please don’t be scared of me,” he begged softly.

His paw traced over her cheek, down her neck, across her pulse that was fluttering like a caged bird. Nick knelt to be at eye level, his lips parted, his tongue running over his white fangs. Suddenly Judy recalled nights of Halloween, scary stories read in the middle of the night under a blanket with a flashlight, old black and white movies full of over the top accents and fake blood.

Nick was a vampire.

His teeth grazed across her raging pulse, she swallowed.

“I’m so thirsty, Judy,” he whimpered painfully.

Judy murmured a noise of consent, still having trouble believing this wasn’t some crazy dream.

And then his teeth pierced her neck.

Judy expected some sort of pain, a sting, she didn’t get that. Instead a wave of pleasure rolled down her spine and a moan slipped from between her lips. The sound of him drinking from her didn’t fill her with fear and revulsion as she expected, instead it made her rub her thighs together, needing friction of some sort as the sexual euphoria turned her bones to liquid.

Time became unimportant as her eyes fluttered shut and she held onto his shoulders as her knees gave out and the moans kept rolling off her tongue.

When Nick finally pulled his fangs away she let out a soft whimper, feeling drowsy but not wanting him to stop. She felt Nick pick her up bridal style and carry her out of the room, out of the house where no animal gave them any attention, out onto the street and back to his dorm.

“Put me down,” she murmured tiredly against his shirt, “I can walk.”

“No you can’t,” he replied and Judy didn’t argue.

He didn’t take her back to her room, instead he took her to his where they ended up curled together on his bed, Judy’s eyes shut but could feel Nick’s gaze (once again emerald) on her.

“I see why you didn’t say anything,” Judy breathed.

Nick let out a small chuckle, “It’s not exactly something to bring up on the first date.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you,” she continued.

“I’m sorry you thought the worse…And I’m sorry I drank from you.”  
“It’s fine.”

“No it’s not; you’re not my personal blood bag. I went to that place to find someone to drink from; I have to drink-a lot, once every few months.”

Judy didn’t like the thought of Nick drinking from another girl, of anyone else feeling the intense pleasure his fangs had wrought.

“I don’t want you to do that,” Judy replied, opening her eyes to look at Nick. The room was dark, he was always were it was dark…thinking about it, the hints had been there.

She could only make out his green eyes in the pitch, flashing with confusion.

“I don’t mind if you drink from me,” she assured him. “I want to help you.”  
“Carrots…”

“I don’t want you to feed from other girls.”

The emeralds widened in realization, “You’re jealous?”

“Don’t you know how it felt when you bit me? You’re still my boyfriend, I don’t want you to make some random girls feel that way.”  
Nick nuzzled into her sore neck and she could feel his smile trace his lips, “I never realized you were so possessive.”

“I guess we both hid some things from each other,” she mumbled into the dark, “Let’s not do that anymore.”

Nick interlocked their fingers together; he was still trembling, but this time with relief, “Agreed.”


End file.
